Att hitta Ett hem vid världens ände: Om sexualitet och könsidentitet vid ämnesordsindexering av skönlitteratur.

Abstract

This master thesis aims to examine the process of indexing fiction when it comes to area of sexuality and gender identity. The empiric work that forms the basis of the thesis are three investigations: (a) examining the current status of indexing fiction within the catalogues of six Swedish medium-sized libraries; (b) interviewing librarians who allocate the subject headings; and (c) an analysis of the Swedish subject heading system Att indexera skönlitteratur. This will be concluded with an analysis of the gathered material through queer theoretic standpoint with the help of critical classification and its inclusion through separation, and marginalization where subjects that differs from the norm is included but only by being separated from the norm, or ignored totally. This will show that there are similarities with how different groups get treated within the classification systems and how they are treated in subject heading indexing. An example of this in Att indexera skönlitteratur is that heterosexuality never is mentioned in the subject heading but is always present as the silent norm, while gender identity is marginalized through exclusion of the subject heading, and related words are instead being included under sexual identity.