Ties to the Elite
Would you like to become powerful? To shape the future and impact the lives of millions of people?
The mysterious “elite”; a small circle of people who hold a lot of power due to formal positions, informal connections and economic resources. Today, the historical methods of entering the elite –such as war or donations of land to the crown – are seen as quite barbaric and problematic. So, with those options gone, what should an ambitious young person do? Well, you might already be on the right path, as SSE is commonly described as a “school for the elite “. The only question left is whether that path will lead you to the left or to the right.
The Apolitical University
Flipping through one of the first issues of Minimax ever printed from the 60s, the constant presence of politics is striking. The pages are filled with debate surrounding geopolitical issues in which student unions were expected to take a stand. The union election was likewise inherently political with representatives from political union parties competing for the position of chairman. It depicts a society and university where political discussions were constantly present and actively encouraged.
Peace in Our Time!, or Peace in Our Time?
When the Berlin wall fell in 1989, the Iron Curtain that had descended over Europe over four decades ago collapsed with it. Similarly to how Europe was no longer divided into West and East, the nations of the world took huge steps to globalize and integrate themselves into a new order, more or less united in a vision for a new future. This perceived sense of unity can be especially seen manifested in the establishment of the European Union in 1993. Similarly, the peace efforts in Northern Ireland and the end of apartheid in South Africa seemed to be emblematic of a broader shift towards both reconciliation and understanding across the globe. New technological advancements such as the Internet also helped democratize and globalize access to knowledge and break down communication barriers in a manner no one had really seen before. For a fleeting moment in time, the world seemed to become a smaller and more interconnected place.
The Fall of Swedish Speaking Cinema
Starting all the way back in the early 20th century, 1912-1924 is often labeled the golden years of Swedish cinema, where people such as Viktor Sjöström and Greta Garbo directed and starred in movies including Körkarlen and Gösta Berlings Saga. However, apart from Greta Garbo’s obvious worldwide fame, this period has been overshadowed by what can be labeled as Sweden’s second golden age, lasting between 1950 and 1980. These years gave us the director Ingmar Bergman, cinematographer Sven Nyqvist and an array of fantastic actors, such as Max von Sydow, Bibbi An- dersson, Gunnar Björnstrand, Nils Poppe, Bengt Ekerot and Ingrid Thulin to name a few.