ABSTRACT

Much is known about Swedes in America, but little is known about the portrayals of Native Americans in Swedish-American newspapers. Considering their centrality in Swedish American settler communities, this article explores newspaper portrayals as processes of boundary construction. By utilizing the Eliadean concept of cosmisation it is shown how and argued that newspapers served as canvases for Swedes to articulate, contest, and negotiate the boundaries of valorized social orders. Therein, religion, civilization, and race were predominant themes. Processes of cosmisation also highlight mythological motifs manifested in the newspapers. Specifically, settlers and missionaries were mediated as culture heroes and initiators of cosmisation and cosmogony.

摘要

关于瑞典人在美国知之甚少，但对瑞典裔美国人报纸中土著美国人的刻画知之甚少。考虑到他们在瑞典裔美国定居者社区中的中心地位，本文探讨了报纸的刻画是边界建设的过程。通过利用埃利亚迪亚（Eliadean）的宇宙化概念，可以看出并如何证明报纸充当了瑞典人表达，争夺和谈判稳定的社会秩序边界的画布。其中，宗教，文明和种族是主要主题。宇宙化的过程也突出了报纸上所展现的神话主题。具体来说，定居者和传教士是作为文化英雄和宇宙化与宇宙论的发起者而被调解的。