The aim of the project is to study the case of Margit Abenius (1899-1970), a critic, a writer and an influential debater within Swedish literary critique between 1930 and 1970. As very little research has been done on women writing literary critique in Sweden during the second half of the 20th century, the study is in many ways a pioneer project. Abenius' own career is an interesting case as she was one of the very few women critics of her time who got established and very influential. She also succeeded in reaching a broad audience, both as a radio critic and as an essayist. Her influence as a female arbiter of taste who also renewed the literary canon is being studied from a gender perspective and by using the theories of Pierre Bourdieu and Iris Marion Young. The aim of the project is also to treat the career of Abenius as a case of a female academic, who after reaching her doctor's degree became influential and made a career outside the Academy.