Kungen kommer!

Regional representation i kungabesök

Abstract

A Royal Visit to the provinces is a situation where geographical order and regional identities are visualised within an attention economy centering around the king. This study deals with the 22 official visits by the king to the county of Västerbotten during the years 1976-2008, as represented in local press, and analyses what images of the county that are put forward. Strong emphasis is put opon high-technology industrial production, tourism and entrepreneurship, thus answering to current Swedish discourses on tomorrow's society; both as part of this and as independent themes. Nature and the wilderness are also heavily exposed.