Spiritism in the Norrbotten Press: Representations of the Supernatural in the Early Twentieth Century 

This thesis examines how spiritualism was represented in newspapers publishes in Norrbotten between 1900 and 1925.The study aims to analyze the role spiritualism played in the cultural and social life of the region, as well as how spiritist phenomena such as séances and lectures were framed in the local press. Using Robert Entman´s theory of framing as a theoretical framework, the thesis explores how newspapers emphasized certain interpretation of spiritualism while marginalizing others. The analysis is based on a qualitative content analysis of articles, advertisements, and reports from several North Bothnian newspapers. The results show that spiritualism was primarily presented as a public phenomenon rather than a private belief, framed alternately as entertainment, moral risk, scientific curiosity or existential resource. Comparisons with international reporting reveal that organized and “serious” spiritualism was often associated with major urban ventures abroad, while local practices were treated with greater skepticism or trivialization.  The study contributes to previous research by highlighting the roll of regional press in shaping the understanding of spiritualism outside metropolitan contexts.