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In this paper I endeavour to explain the fact that the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag, emerged the realm's most powerful institution in the 18th century – an accomplishment only equalled by the British Parliament. I trace the roots to the success to the Riksdag of the 17th century and argue that during this century a political culture of cooperation became strongly entrenched in the assembly; furthermore I make the claim that constitutionalist ideas took roots even outside the Nobility, among the three Commoner estates (the estates of Clergy, Burghers and Peasants). It is at the same time true that the Commoners as well as the Nobility often expressed strong support for the rulers' bids for more power. The estates were thus surprisingly flexible both with respect to with whom they cooperated, and in ideological outlook. This explains why Sweden was characterized by strong state, strong national representation, and strong rule of law. I argue that the Clergy and the Burghers played a crucial political role in the Riksdag that thwarted both royal and noble bids for supremacy. Furthermore, I compare the Swedish development with Britain's during the same period.

The aim of this thesis is to explore the development of Swedish fashion between 1930 and 1960 by examining the textile and clothing industry from the wider perspective of fashion production. It was during this period that Sweden was transformed into a leading industrial nation, which laid the foundation for increased prosperity in the post-war period. This historical and empirical study is predominantly based on systematic analysis of Swedish official statistics and close reading of the fashion press. The thesis applies a combination of approaches in the analytical chapters (chapter 2–4) that include three central aspects of fashion production: manufacturing, symbolic production, and the production of a national fashion. Chapter 2 gives an account of the industrial production of clothing and examines the scope, size and structure of the textile and clothing industry. The results confirm its importance to the Swedish economy in the period. One important finding shows that a shift in production from tailored outerwear to lighter garments occurred as early as the mid-1950s. Chapter 3 investigates the symbolic production of fashion by looking at the structure of the field of fashion in Sweden. The results show a French dominance where couturiers were celebrated as creative 'artists'. A significant finding is how the idea of Swedish fashion was considered a process of creating economic value, as in clothing manufacturing. Chapter 4 deals with fashion as an expression of national culture. The result reveals a significant fashion culture associated with an everyday wear fashion that followed the Social Democratic reforms aimed at equality in society during the period. One important finding is that the wool coat was the hallmark of Swedish fashion identity in the post-war period. These results contribute to a broader understanding of fashion production and new insights into the history of its developments in Sweden between 1930 and 1960, which has gone largely unrecognised by previous fashion historians.

During the interwar period, there was a surge in cultural diplomacy efforts in Europe. This article investigates the role of cultural diplomacy within the Swedish film society movement, focusing particularly on Lund Film Society's travels abroad during the 1930s: to Nazi-Germany in 1935 and in 1938 respectively, as well as to the Soviet Union in 1936. Through international exchange, Lund Film Society did not only get access to artistic and politically radical films but also an increased insight into in the international film industry. The article shows that the trips fulfilled several important functions for Lund Film Society. The film society was theoretically oriented and the possibilities of exploring the film medium practically were limited. During these journeys abroad, the film society managed to gain insight into how modern film studios worked in several different countries. At the same time, interest in cultural exchange was mutual, and the international film connections were purposefully exploited by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union as a form of cultural-political propaganda.

As one half of what is currently the only divided country in the world, the phenomenon of the so-called "division film" in South Korea has developed as a reflection of the social changes associated with its divided national background. The divided Korean Peninsula, the cause of military confrontation between the two Koreas, the Korean War, and espionage activities, is the background for Korean division films. As a result, the divided state serves as a narrative element and can be explored as a theme. Since the release of the first division films in 1949, a year after the Korean Peninsula was split into two countries, division films have been produced constantly. This entry analyzes major political changes, focusing on the regime changes represented in division films and, based on this approach, explores the cinematic illustrations of modern Korean history in three distinct periods. In a bid to reflect the characteristics of the times, division films portray historical elements while acting successfully as an advanced form of art. Herein, I will examine the definition and the range of these division films. This entry thus aims to discuss, in depth, the origin and history of Korea's division films.