The Not Quite Child

<p><b>Examines Swedish depictions of childhood that expose the country's colonial past and racial hierarchies</b><br/><br/>Figures like Pippi Longstocking and Greta Thunberg exemplify an ideal mainstream Swedish childhood: they are autonomous, competent, and the voices of moral truths. In this innovative work, Liina-Ly Roos analyzes the figure of the "not-quite child" - children who, while appearing white, have been marginalized due to historical racialization and colonialism - to challenge this established ideal. Through analyses of films and literature that portray Indigenous Sámi, Tornedalian, and Finnish-speaking children, <i>The Not-Quite Child</i> reveals how these figures disrupt the normative understanding of growing up in Sweden. These cultural texts are filled with tensions of assimilation, invisibility, and the struggle to grow in a society that demands conformity to a specific "Swedishness."<br/><br/>The children in these stories are both minoritized and, at the same time, have the privilege of passing, and share a long cultural history with and within the dominant culture. Through nuanced attention to these important narratives, <i>The Not-Quite Child</i> contributes to dialogue on the complexities of identity, race, and the hidden colonial legacies that continue to shape understandings of childhood in Sweden.<br/><br/>Open access edition: DOI 10.6069/9780295753836</p>