In this detailed study of the history of universal literacy in Sweden, a group of renowned scholars review and explore the possibilities for the wider circulation and broader application of central dimensions of the early literacy studies, expounding upon the work of the Swedish Lutheran pastor and pioneering social historian Egil Johansson. Working initially with parish registers, especially examination registers from northern Sweden, Johansson discovered the extraordinary usefulness of these documents to determine how literacy in Sweden occurred well before any other European nation, despite the fact that Sweden was industrialized about 100 years later than the European norm. Egil Johansson also developed imaginative data-analysis techniques that help historians around the world to better picture the complete human cast of the past. With the help of numerous contributors Johansson founded a giant database of church records and other information, which now can help the understanding of preindustrial society. Johansson's work spans over many aspects of literacy and social history and their respective relation to religion and gender.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction Harvey J. Graff, Alison Mackinnon, Bengt Sandin & Ian Winchester
• 1 Introduction to Historical Studies of Literacy Harvey J. Graff
• Part I
  • 2 A Personal Note on Egil Johansson Kenneth Lockridge
  • 3 The History of Literacy in Sweden Egil Johansson
  • 4 Four Decades of Research Daniel Lindmark
  • 5 Are Swedish Parochial Records Unique? Hanna Zipernovszky
  • 6 Universalism in the Swedish History of Literacy Daniel Lindmark
  • 7 The Role of Literacy in Culture From the Vikings to the Seventeenth Century Ian Winchester
• Part II
  • 8 Aspects of Women’s Work in Sundsvall 1860–1893 Lotta VikströM
  • 9 Education, Street Urchins, and Surveillance Bengt Sandin
  • 10 Swedish Women School Teachers and the Fertility Transition Alison Mackinnon
• Part III
  • 11 Literacies, Schools and Patriarchal Regimes Pavla Miller
  • 12 How Did the Illiterates Fare? David Mitch
  • 13 Literacy Literacy David Vincent
  • 14 Individual Literacy in Commonplace Books Kenneth Lockridge
• Part IV
  • 15 Assessing the History of Literacy: Themes and Questions Harvey J. Graff
  • Bibliography Harvey J. Graff
  • About the Authors