| Author and critic Marjaneh Bakhtiari speaks about the "desperate hunt
for diversity" in contemporary Swedish media. From the courtyards of
multiracial housing projects to the backseats of immigrant-driven taxis,
never have Swedish journalists been more eager to depict their nation's
new demographic reality. But what assumptions about religion, culture
and language lie hidden behind this newfound obsession with
multiculturalism?
Bakhtiari's debut novel, Kalla det vad van du vill (Call It Whatever You
Like), chronicles the lives of two Malmö families, Irandoust and Sundén,
who meet when their two teenagers begin dating. In scenes alternately
absurd and touching, Bakhtiari shines the spotlight on both "new" and
"old" Swedes alike. |
Friday, Dec. 8, 2006 - 4:30 PM
Communications 206
pl212@u.washington.edu
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