Arne Ruth

(b.1943 in Poland) came to Sweden in 1945 by the Bernadotte Aid. He studied philosophy, English, and political science at Gothenburg University and journalism at the University of South Florida. He worked at several dailies and at the Swedish Radio and Television Corporation until, in 1982, he became editor-in-chief for culture at Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s largest morning daily. He left his position in 1998, voicing sharp criticism of monopoly tendencies involving the parent company. During Ruth’s final period in office, reports in Dagens Nyheter about forced sterilization and the Nazi gold question influenced the Swedish government to set up special investigative commissions.

Articles

Breaking the bonds of national mythology

Memory and European citizenship

In many European countries, post-war nationhood has been built on myths of general resistance against fascism, often combined with a nationally framed approach to history that clashes with those of neighbouring states. Politics of memory play a role in conflicts between fellow EU states and former enemies such as Poland and Germany, but also countries like Sweden and Switzerland have yet to come to terms with their recent past. What is the role of intellectuals in disputes over contested history and can cross-border journalism build an element of real universality into the European project? Shouldn’t a European citizenship worthy of its name include the right and duty of everyone, regardless of nationality and background, to treat issues of historical guilt and suffering on a transnational basis? Swedish journalist Arne Ruth met Polish cultural theorist Danuta Glondys in Warsaw to discuss Memory and European citizenship. Moderated by Wojciech Przybylski, editor of Res Publica Nowa.

Myths of neutrality

Ignoring the Holocaust in Sweden and Switzerland

In Sweden and Switzerland, complicity in the Holocaust was for a long time ignored. It was only as a result of foreign publicity that national myths of neutrality gave way to admissions of responsibility, writes Arne Ruth.

Mediekritikk er medienes ansvar

Arne Ruth i samtale med Knut Olav Åmås

I norsk presse er det den kollektive tolkningen av verden som har vunnet, sier Arne Ruth i en samtale med Knut Olav Åmås. Den kompakte, kollegiale samstemtheten er et alvorlig problem for mediekritikken. Massemediene må lære seg å bli vant til å bli kikket i kortene, og å få sin utøvelse av makt gransket virkelig kritisk.