The Not-Quite Child: Colonial Histories, Racialization, and Swedish Exceptionalism
Examines Swedish depictions of childhood that expose the country's colonial past and racial hierarchies

Figures like Pippi Longstocking and Greta Thunberg exemplify an ideal mainstream Swedish childhood: they are autonomous, competent, and the voices of moral truths. In this innovative work, Liina-Ly Roos analyzes the figure of the “not-quite child”—children who, while appearing white, have been marginalized due to historical racialization and colonialism—to challenge this established ideal. Through analyses of films and literature that portray Indigenous Sámi, Tornedalian, and Finnish-speaking children, The Not-Quite Child reveals how these figures disrupt the normative understanding of growing up in Sweden. These cultural texts are filled with tensions of assimilation, invisibility, and the struggle to grow in a society that demands conformity to a specific “Swedishness.”

The children in these stories are both minoritized and, at the same time, have the privilege of passing, and share a long cultural history with and within the dominant culture. Through nuanced attention to these important narratives, The Not-Quite Child contributes to dialogue on the complexities of identity, race, and the hidden colonial legacies that continue to shape understandings of childhood in Sweden.

Open access edition: DOI 10.6069/9780295753836

1146441805
The Not-Quite Child: Colonial Histories, Racialization, and Swedish Exceptionalism
Examines Swedish depictions of childhood that expose the country's colonial past and racial hierarchies

Figures like Pippi Longstocking and Greta Thunberg exemplify an ideal mainstream Swedish childhood: they are autonomous, competent, and the voices of moral truths. In this innovative work, Liina-Ly Roos analyzes the figure of the “not-quite child”—children who, while appearing white, have been marginalized due to historical racialization and colonialism—to challenge this established ideal. Through analyses of films and literature that portray Indigenous Sámi, Tornedalian, and Finnish-speaking children, The Not-Quite Child reveals how these figures disrupt the normative understanding of growing up in Sweden. These cultural texts are filled with tensions of assimilation, invisibility, and the struggle to grow in a society that demands conformity to a specific “Swedishness.”

The children in these stories are both minoritized and, at the same time, have the privilege of passing, and share a long cultural history with and within the dominant culture. Through nuanced attention to these important narratives, The Not-Quite Child contributes to dialogue on the complexities of identity, race, and the hidden colonial legacies that continue to shape understandings of childhood in Sweden.

Open access edition: DOI 10.6069/9780295753836

110.0 Pre Order
The Not-Quite Child: Colonial Histories, Racialization, and Swedish Exceptionalism

The Not-Quite Child: Colonial Histories, Racialization, and Swedish Exceptionalism

The Not-Quite Child: Colonial Histories, Racialization, and Swedish Exceptionalism

The Not-Quite Child: Colonial Histories, Racialization, and Swedish Exceptionalism

Hardcover

$110.00 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Available for Pre-Order. This item will be released on August 5, 2025

Related collections and offers


Overview

Examines Swedish depictions of childhood that expose the country's colonial past and racial hierarchies

Figures like Pippi Longstocking and Greta Thunberg exemplify an ideal mainstream Swedish childhood: they are autonomous, competent, and the voices of moral truths. In this innovative work, Liina-Ly Roos analyzes the figure of the “not-quite child”—children who, while appearing white, have been marginalized due to historical racialization and colonialism—to challenge this established ideal. Through analyses of films and literature that portray Indigenous Sámi, Tornedalian, and Finnish-speaking children, The Not-Quite Child reveals how these figures disrupt the normative understanding of growing up in Sweden. These cultural texts are filled with tensions of assimilation, invisibility, and the struggle to grow in a society that demands conformity to a specific “Swedishness.”

The children in these stories are both minoritized and, at the same time, have the privilege of passing, and share a long cultural history with and within the dominant culture. Through nuanced attention to these important narratives, The Not-Quite Child contributes to dialogue on the complexities of identity, race, and the hidden colonial legacies that continue to shape understandings of childhood in Sweden.

Open access edition: DOI 10.6069/9780295753836


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780295753812
Publisher: University of Washington Press
Publication date: 08/05/2025
Series: New Directions in Scandinavian Studies
Pages: 194
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.00(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Liina-Ly Roos is an assistant professor in the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+ at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

What People are Saying About This

Rochelle Ann Wright

"In her insightful and enlightening examination of the process of growing up in minority ethnic communities, Liina-Ly Roos analyzes recent literary and cinematic texts from Sweden, but her observations are widely applicable in a global context where millions of migrants find themselves in a position of not-quiteness as they negotiate complex and conflicting identities and cultural expectations."

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews