Zlatan Ibrahimović: MADE BY SWEDEN. En diskursanalytisk studie av Zlatan Ibrahimović - min historia.

Summary, in English

In this essay I attempt to bring clarity to the discourse production within Zlatan Ibrahimović and David Lagerkrantz biography: Zlatan Ibrahimović: min historia (I Am Zlatan: My Story On and Off the Field). The biography describes the history of the football player Zlatan Ibrahimović, his background in the suburban area of Rosengård in Sweden, and his relationship towards football to mention a few areas. All through the biography the character also brings forth criticism and thoughts concerning the Swedish society and its normative structures. By assuming a social constructivist position and using postcolonial feministic research alongside masculinity theory my aim is to discuss the discourses reproduced by the biography. I analyse the character’s masculinity and feelings of isolation and alienation towards the Swedish society. A discourse analysis will be used in order to investigate the normative structures presented and their dynamic appearances.
Numerous read-troughs of the biography made it clear that even though the biography’s main intention might not have been political it can be seen as a contribution to discussions about class, ethnicity and masculinity within the Swedish society. In the biography, Zlatan uses his status and authority to direct criticism to a society that alienates and discriminates groups of people, in particular immigrants.

• Author: Oliwer Karlsson
• Department/s: Department of Gender Studies
• Publishing year: 2014
• Language: Swedish
• Full text: Available as PDF - 356 kB; Download statistics
• Document type: Student publication for Bachelor's degree
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Keywords: Genus; Gender; Zlatan Ibrahimović; Maskulinitet; Masculinity; Utanförskap; Alienation; Diskurs analys; Discourse analysis; Motstånd; Resistance
• Supervisor: Johanna Esseveld (Professor); Jens Rydström