A Nineteenth‐century Finnish Reading Society and Its World Views : Commerce, Civilization and Colonialism Examined

• The main objective of this essay is to examine the ʹworld viewsʹ of the nineteenth‐century Finnish circulatory library, ʺLäsesällskapet i Gamlakarlebyʺ that operated under mild imperial (Russian) supervision during its active period (1800‐ca 1870). For this purpose I have studied 93 beyond‐Europe books of travel and geography. I have identified two major ideological divides: a colonial that promotes ongoing aggressive Western expansion and a conciliatory one that mediates doubts and resistance. Samuel Ödmann, the translator and Uppsala professor of theology, represents the former divide; Anders Chydenius, one of the founding members, economist and clergyman, the latter. The collection engages, it is shown, the local reader of direct or indirect experiences of sailing, the ship industry and commerce which were the major trades of (Gamla)Karleby at the time. The Africa and West Indies related texts are a particularly rich feature. Slavery andt he unlucky Swedish part in colonization (Sierra Leone and St. Barthélemy) concern the readers.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Litteraturvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- General Literary Studies (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Historia och arkeologi -- Historia (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- History and Archaeology -- History (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Filosofi, etik och religion -- Idé- och lärdomshistoria (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion -- History of Ideas (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Swedish colonialism; travel literature; colonial translation; imperialism

Literature

Litteraturvetenskap

Book and library history

Bok- och bibliotekshistoria

History of science and ideas

Idé- o lärdomshistoria

library and information science

biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap

Social and Economic Geography

kulturgeografi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)