@inbook{b0f6bbd945054a7d95db6b800748233c,
title = "Reinventing the Link Between Education and the Nation via Imagination and Emotions: The National Literacy of The Wonderful Adventures of Nils",
abstract = "This chapter explores the concept of national literacy and its application in the context of Selma Lagerl{\"o}f{\textquoteright}s highly successful reader, The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. Lagerl{\"o}f{\textquoteright}s book serves as an illustrative example of the potential of national literacy in the history of education in two respects. Firstly, it highlights the role of modern school systems in shaping national literacy. Lagerl{\"o}f{\textquoteright}s book was a product of ongoing efforts to reform the Swedish primary school system, serving as both a tool for educational improvement and a primer that fulfilled local school districts{\textquoteright} needs. Secondly, the chapter delves into the multidimensionality of national literacy. Lagerl{\"o}f{\textquoteright}s intention was not merely to impart knowledge about Sweden but to engage children{\textquoteright}s imagination and emotions through the genre of a fairy tale. Her aim was to foster a new generation of school children who could identify with the book{\textquoteright}s characters and experience the themes explored, cultivating both an understanding and an emotional connection to national symbols. By reimagining the link between education and the nation, Lagerl{\"o}f sought to create an emotional literacy that extended beyond factual knowledge. The concept of national literacy proves valuable for further research into such educational efforts.",
keywords = "history of education",
author = "Johannes Westberg",
year = "2023",
month = nov,
day = "24",
doi = "10.1007/978-3-031-41762-7_8",
language = "English",
isbn = "978-3-031-41761-0",
series = "Historical Studies in Education",
publisher = "Palgrave MacMillan",
pages = "95--110",
editor = "Boser Lukas and Stephanie Fox",
booktitle = "National Literacies in Education",
}