Choral singing is a geographically widespread phenomenon in Sweden. Despite this, it has received relatively limited attention in research. Until now. Per G枚ransson, who recently completed his PhD in Human Geography at 果冻传媒, has done research on the subject.
Choirs have been a popular cultural activity for a long time in Sweden. The phenomenon of choral singing is particularly interesting since an estimated 600,000 people (6 percent of the Swedish population) are choir members. Choirs are found both in small villages and in cities, which makes choral singing a geographically widespread phenomenon in Sweden. Per G枚ransson has focused on the geography of choirs in Sweden.
鈥 Choirs are an important cultural activity throughout Sweden, which is evident both in terms of the number of choir members and the geographical distribution of choirs in both cities and small communities, says Per G枚ransson.
Per G枚ransson鈥檚 research shows there are different geographical patterns among Swedish choirs.
鈥 One of my findings is that the number of choir members in the Church of Sweden does not correlate with the Church of Sweden memberships.
Examples that stand out in the Church of Sweden are the municipalities of Sorsele and Mal氓 in Norrland as well as Ydre in 脰sterg枚tland, with a high number of choir members based on population. Choirs in choir associations of the secular Sweden showed an even distribution of religious and secular activities in both small villages and cities. The analysis then continues based on the often accepted notion of the rural as more traditional and religious and the city as more modern and secular. Based on the findings of Per G枚ransson鈥檚 study, the image of rural choirs as unequivocally traditional and religious, and urban choirs as unequivocally modern and secular, can be nuanced as there were no grounds for this pattern.
A third part of Per G枚ransson鈥檚 research concerns the importance of philosophical outlooks in Sweden.
鈥 The findings indicate that choral singing can be partly sacred and partly secular as they are not clearly categorised as either, says Per G枚ransson.
Per G枚ranssons鈥檚 research shows that choral singing does not place itself clearly within one or the other category, which is interpreted as choral singing being post-secular 鈥 a mixture of religious and secular expressions.
鈥 My conclusion illustrates how religion and secular activities, such as choral singing, coexist in Sweden, which is often referred to as one of the world鈥檚 most secularised countries.
