Fredrik Segerfeldt Exclusive Interview – ‘Stay Curious About Yourself And The People You Care About’
Fredrik Segerfeldt was recently interviewed by RootsAndRoutesMag.com and below is the Q&A session we had with him.
Fredrik Segerfeldt As Cover Story – January 2025 Edition
Fredrik is an accomplished author, having written fifteen books to date. His most recent work, National Alarm in Georgia and Other Stories from the World (Rikslarm i Georgien och andra berättelser från världen), follows From Casablanca to the Suburb (Från Casablanca till orten). This earlier book explores what North African literature reveals about migration experiences, hybrid identities, and post-colonial areas of pain. In many ways, it serves as a spiritual successor to The White Man’s Burden (Den Svarte Mannens Börda), which critiqued post-colonialism as an ideology, while the current work engages more deeply with its nuanced aspects.
This spring, Fredrik’s sixteenth book will be released. Another notable work is France – A Love-Hate Story (Frankrike – en hatkärlekshistoria). One of his books has been translated into English, Spanish, and Italian, and he has also written frequently in both English and French.
● Briefly describe your background, interests, and significant life experiences.
I am from the south of Sweden, and I have lived in France, the United States, Belgium, and Morocco. I now live in Stockholm with my Moroccan wife. I have a Masters Degree in Political Science and a Masters Degree in French. For most of my professional life, my daytime job has been in various business interest organisations, but I also write books, mostly about the world. I speak six languages, three of those fluently.
● Major Challenge: What has been a major challenge in your life and how did you handle it?
Most of the challenges I have faced have been related to the intercultural context in which I have spent most of my adult life. To learn about new ways of thinking and doing things is stimulating, but it can also be difficult. It is enriching to challenge most of one’s basic assumptions, but it requires that you make an effort and it can be tiresome. I have tried to live by the motto: “It’s not right, it’s not wrong, it’s just different.” And when I think it’s stupid, I write a book about it.
● Proud Moment: Share a personal or professional achievement you are proud of.
My proudest moment is probably when I got a letter from the Swedish´Academy, the body that hands out the Nobel Prize in literature, praising one of my books. Or perhaps when a Nobel laureate in economics blurbed another one of my books. But it also makes me very happy when ordinary readers let me know what they think about my writing.
● Daily Motivation: What keeps you motivated and inspired each day?
My daily motivation comes from three different sources. My ideology, classical liberalism, is very important to me. Second, I am very curious and I always want to know more about the world and how things work. Third, I get annoyed when people have views and ideas that are false. So, I see myself as somewhat of a crusader for truth. I also like to challenge people’s perspectives, by questioning their basic assumptions.
● Community Contribution: How do you actively give back to your community or support others?
That is a difficult question. I don’t subscribe to the view that the community has given me anything and that I am obliged or even supposed to give something back. However, I do like to coach and help younger members of the liberal movement, to guide in their intellectual journey, not least when it comes to writing.
● Message to Readers: What message or advice would you like to share with our readers?
Stay curious. About yourself and the people you care about, but also about the rest of the world.
Tariq Riaz is a passionate web developer and content generation expert.
