Melissa Gjellstad

In her wealth of work since her first breakthrough publication in 1974, the Swedish novelist Kerstin Ekman has explored themes such as the transformation of Sweden through industrialisation, the interrelation of the Sami, Swedish and Norwegian cultures and, latterly, ecocritical perspectives and cultural perspectives.

Denmark lost the territory of Norway during the Napoleonic wars in 1814. Prior to that, Norway had been in union with Denmark from as far back as 1380 during which time Norway had retained many cultural and political aspects that were undoubtedly Norwegian, rather than Danish. However, Danish politics, culture and language dominated, arguably making Norway a ‘half-Danish nation’.

In 1814, Denmark lost the territory of Norway in the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, and this provided a window for the Norwegian constitution to be established. It was founded on the principles of popular sovereignty, participatory democracy and individual rights. It is the second oldest constitution in the world and remains a cornerstone of Norwegian law, despite several amendments.

Listen to this podcast on diversity management and how large organisations, like companies and trade unions, can learn from social movements such as Pride. While some of it may be lip service, the hope is that some elements stick, resulting in more diverse and inclusive workplaces across the Nordics and beyond.

Selected figures for 2018 and 2019 suggest that there is less inequality and a lower risk of poverty in the Nordic states than elsewhere in Europe. But when it comes to the type of welfare measures used and people’s preferences for the underlying principles of welfare services, the Nordics are surprisingly similar to many other countries in Europe.

Listen to these two podcasts to find out more about the Nordic countries’ maritime connections: Why do the Nordic countries see themselves as maritime nations; and does that extend to taking the lead in the green transition within shipping?

Listen to a podcast about the Women’s International Democratic Federation during the Cold War period, and why and how women from the Nordic region were involved.

All countries applying to join NATO have to carefully consider the domestic and international consequences of membership, and Finland and Sweden are no exception. Before Spain joined in 1982, like Sweden and Finland, it was not a global power and was predominantly concerned with national security. It did not have any nuclear weapons and the country was already firmly considered a part of the West. While there are some fundamental differences between the two cases, Spain’s approach in attempting to step back from the heated rhetoric of the Cold War may provide a useful historical example in attempting to de-escalate tensions.

While the Royal Danish Theatre was founded in back in 1748, this overview of drama in Denmark extends from after World War II to the beginning of the twenty-first century touching on experimental and socially critical theatre groups in the 1960s and '70s, the exploration of aesthetics thereafter and some contemporary playwrights.

Proficiency in English is both widespread and high-level in the Nordic countries, and there are legitimate historical and socio-political reasons for this. But it should not be assumed that everyone is equally proficient, nor that the power of the English language goes unquestioned.