Democracy, governance & law:
Democracy, governance & law
This page provides articles on both the well-established, democratic traditions that the Nordic countries are famous for, such as the welfare state and the Nordic model. It also includes content about the challenges to the social democratic order, such as digitalisation and neoliberalism. Articles also include those that are tagged as being to do with minorities, public policy and education. New articles are added on a regular basis.
2021.01.07 | Article, Niels Brimnes, Governance, Nation building
The colonialism of Denmark-Norway and its legacies
Overshadowed by British and French Imperialism, the small-scale colonialism of some of the Nordic countries can all too easily be downplayed. From the 19th century, the self-image of the Nordic countries as a group of small, neutral nations has probably perpetuated this misconception. However, Denmark-Norway engaged in a variety of colonial…
2020.12.11 | Podcast, Caroline de la Porte, Jonas Felbo-Kolding, Nicola Witcombe, Governance, Globalisation, Public policy
The Nordic Model at Risk?: Conversations on Regulation
An ageing population, immigration, tax evasion and incoming foreign workers are frequently cited as threats to the Nordic Model. The universal welfare state is built upon citizens and the state fulfilling their particular roles: the state providing childcare, healthcare and benefits in return for people working and paying their taxes (’the social…
2020.10.21 | Article, Jonas Langeland Pedersen, Law, The Nordics in the World
European Community law in Denmark, 1973-1993
When Denmark became a member of the European Community in 1973, European law was not high on its domestic agenda. It was first and foremost the potential economic benefits of membership that occupied the public consciousness. However, European Community law went on to have explicit consequences for Denmark, but it was not until the late 1980s that…
2020.10.02 | Outlook, Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, Democracy, Governance, The Nordics in the World
Imagining Nordicity in the American political discourse
The Nordic region is frequently presented in the American media as prosperous and business-friendly, as well as allowing for extensive welfare benefits. US media coverage often positions one or more of the Nordic countries between the monolithic and highly politicized understandings of ‘socialism’ and ‘capitalism’ – with the many shades of mixed…
2020.09.14 | The Quick Read, Byron J. Nordstrom, Governance
Nordic monarchies
The political systems in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have evolved over centuries of development as hereditary, ‘democratic,’ constitutional monarchies. (Finland and Iceland are presidential republics.) Today the powers of the crown in these countries are strictly circumscribed, and the duties of the Nordic monarchs largely involve public relations…
2020.08.17 | The Quick Read, Byron J. Nordstrom, Governance
Sweden’s Saltsjöbaden Agreement
The Saltsjöbaden Agreement was a very influential collective bargaining agreement between employers and employees that was reached in 1938, and a key building block to labor market relations under the long-standing social democrat rule throughout much of the 20th century. Perhaps surprisingly, it is largely based on the parties organizing…
2020.07.28 | Biography, Jonathan Pugh, Governance
Jan Eliasson (b. 1940)
Jan Eliasson has been one of Sweden’s most prominent diplomats since as far back as the 1970s. Not only has he served in key roles for the Swedish Foreign Ministry and international organizations, but he is also renowned for his role as a mediator in numerous conflicts. His support for the concept of conflict prevention within the Swedish…
2020.07.14 | Article, Byron J. Nordstrom, Law
The legal systems of the Nordic countries
Constitutions set out the rights of individuals living in the Nordic countries, enshrining fundamental principles, such as full equality before the law and innocence until proved guilty. Contemporary law in the Nordic countries is based on compiled codes and/or comprehensive collections of statutes.
2020.06.18 | Film, Anna Lena Sandberg, The Borders of the Nordics, Literature, Democracy
Interview: The relationship between Denmark and Germany: politics and culture since 1800
In this short video, Anna Sandberg, Associate Professor in the Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies at Copenhagen University, gives an historical overview of the political and cultural relationship between Denmark and Germany over the last 200 years. Their relationship is an important one not least because it is the southern-most…
2020.06.03 | Article, Byron J. Nordstrom, Labour markets, Governance
An overview of population trends in the Nordic countries since the Second World War
The Nordic countries have seen a number of important changes to their populations since the end of World War II. Perhaps most notable among these are growth, increased diversity, and gradual aging. Labour migration has also played a role and detailed people registers mean that research of all kinds can be undertaken with accessible and…