Att lyssna eller inte lyssna : En diskursanalys av den svenska ljudboksdebatten

This thesis explores public discourses surrounding audiobooks as manifested in cultural articles in Swedish newspapers. The aim is to gain a deeper understanding about values and opinions about the audio book as a literary media. The method employed is discourse analysis, with a theoretical frame- work built mainly on Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffes discourse theory. The articles were gath- ered from Sweden’s four biggest newspapers, totaling 45 articles between the years 2016-2023. Four major themes were identified in the material: the form and content of the audiobook, the act of reading versus listening, the commodification of literature, and the economic aspects of the audiobook market. Further, the study identifies both pessimistic and optimistic discourses. Pessi- mistic discourses see audiobooks as a threat to traditional literary forms and quality, while optimistic discourses highlight the potential of audiobooks to expand the concept of literature and promote reading. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how audiobooks are discussed and debated in Swedish media, reflecting broader societal and cultural concerns. This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.