Culture

Listen to a podcast on hot topics in current academic research on the Nordic region today include welfare, colonialism and heterogeneity.

Denmark exhibits a unique culture where the national flag, known by its local name 'Dannebrog', has become an everyday symbol used by Danes. In addition to official functions and ceremonies, Danes use their national flag for birthday parties, graduation ceremonies, advertisements and decorations, among many other occasions. Although personal use of the national flag is also common in other Nordic countries, especially Norway and Sweden, the everyday use and importance of the national flag in Denmark is perhaps unmatched. Some consider that such use of the national flag is personal and festive, while others consider it can have nationalistic undertones.

Some of the most beloved figures in Nordic children’s literary classics from the 20th century are rooted in narrow-minded caricatures, and racial prejudice can be so subtly embedded in many older pieces of literature that even contemporary readers are blinded to it. The discussion surrounding the republishing of some of these controversial books provides interesting perspectives on contemporary views of race and racism, but it also reveals the importance of contextualising these perceptions within a national, historical context. It is important to consider how the past is used in the present and how it is made meaningful in the Nordic societies.

The 'use of history' is the term used to denote a combination of selecting, emphasising and overlooking people, events and epochs taken from history. These aspects are to be found in the pool of historical knowledge that we share and are usually identified with the intention of promoting certain interests. In the Nordics, as elsewhere, these interests are usually either to do with politics, providing information or entertainment, or have something to do with identity.

In principle, all levels of the male-dominated professions in the Nordic countries are accessible to men and women alike. But, informal processes of exclusion may interfere with gender integration; an extensive use of humor can, for example, interfere with women’s attempts to become part of the military profession. While military organizations are typically characterized as quite formal, humor and laughter also play an essential role in the everyday interaction between soldiers. This supports the forming of social bonds, upholds morale, and ensures that most soldiers can cope with an (at times) exhausting and overwhelming job. It might also have negative consequences, not least for women’s inclusion. So, while the Nordic countries are often seen as societies at the pinnacle of gender equality, research shows that here, too, inclusion is far from ensured in the workplace.

Folklore is a phenomenon found in all cultures. Falling under the umbrella of what is now called ‘intangible cultural heritage’ by UNESCO, it encompasses everything from Finnish improvisational rap and medieval eddic poetry to internet memes or wearing a crown of candles on St Lucia’s day. Nordic folklore research has played a significant role in establishing folklore studies as a discipline and has made an impact on folklore research around the world.

High rates of suicide are often connected with the Nordic countries and their apparently ‘socialist’ policies. Highlighting high suicide rates in Scandinavia can be traced back to at least the 1960s when foreign observers attempted to either undermine or legitimize the welfare states in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. These characterizations forced Scandinavian commentators to respond in diverse and interesting ways, sometimes invoking the spirit of regional solidarity against criticism from outside the region, other times acting competitively and combatively. In the process, the enduring myth of the extraordinarily ‘suicidal’ Scandinavians was born.

National symbols share an ability to fuse diverse people in a shared feeling of identity. They are as diverse as flags to food, scenery to famous people, and they vary depending on whether they are viewed from inside or outside the Nordics or a specific country. A pressing question today is which national symbols are appropriate for globalised, multicultural, thoroughly modern societies.

Children’s departments in Scandinavian broadcasting corporations (in Denmark, Norway and Sweden) were clearly influenced by the call for equality and the influence of principles arising from the 1968 movement. Producers of children’s programmes worked extensively to democratise children’s television by, for example, taking children’s wishes and suggestions into account, and allowing them to take an active part in production. The close-knit collaboration within the Nordic broadcasting union, Nordvision, strengthened the articulation of ‘68’ ideas amongst the national broadcasters.

Denmark lost a third of its territory and 40% of its population in the Second Schleswig War in 1864 to Prussia and Austria. Seen as both a national trauma and the creation of modern-day Denmark, narratives regarding the war that were created at the time - and since - continue to resonate, exemplified by recent debates over its portrayal in TV programmes and artwork.