Låt maten tysta mun? De nationella elevorganisationernas inställning till skolmat och skolmatsdebatt 1957-1982

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the Swedish national student organizations attitudes towards school food and the school food debate between 1957-1982. The previous research on the subject maps the historical background and development of the school meal, but lacks a contemporary student perspective from the chosen time period, not least on a deeper and more political level. The theoretical starting points in the study concern organizations and their influence on public authorities as well as student influence. These theoretical frameworks are used to describe the conditions for the currently active national student organizations; Elevförbundet and SECO, in the political arena. The purpose of the study is achieved by using qualitative content analysis to interpret and analyze how school food and the school food debate were presented in these student organizations' newspapers and journals between 1957-1982. During the analysis, four main themes emerged; Well-being and enjoyment, Nutrition and health, Economy and politics and Student influence, where the first- mentioned theme dominated the first decade, characterized by a soft and positive appearance. At the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s, there was a break in the trend in that this theme was completely replaced by the theme of nutrition and health, in parallel with the fact that financial cuts continuously came to characterize the school meal service and the debate about it, as a result of the state grants had ceased. At the same time, this time brought with it a harsher and more politically oriented appearance in the student texts, which, in addition to the prevailing economic conditions, can also be said to have been a product of contemporary political radicalization.