Governance
Here you will find all the content related to the category 'governance'.
2019.10.09 | Video, Peter Yding Brunbech, Governance, Nation building
Mini-lecture on the Danish welfare state
Even though the welfare state in the Nordics is under pressure and its design is continously debated, it has rarely been more strongly supported in Danish history. Today, nearly all Danish political parties support the basic welfare society model, and they compete over who is best to secure it. Watch this mini-lecture and hear how, from a…
2019.09.04 | The Quick Read, Agnes Arnórsdóttir, Nation building, Governance
History of Iceland from 1944
After a referendum almost unanimously in favour, Iceland was declared an independent republic on 17th June 1944 at Þingvellir. Denmark did not, however, repeal the law which set out the terms of its personal union with Iceland until 1950. Since then, Iceland has been able to re-claim much of its cultural heritage from Danish institutions.…
2019.08.19 | Article, Simon Mølholm Olesen, Governance, Nation building
The Danish decolonisation of Greenland, 1945-54
An international discussion on decolonisation followed in the aftermath of the Second World War in the mid-1940s. The newly formed United Nations created some of the most important platforms for these discussions. Consequently, Danish politicians and civil servants feared that Greenland, the last of the Danish colonies, would attract negative…
2019.06.25 | Article, Helena Kaarina Blomberg, Pauli Kettunen, Public policy, Governance, Research
The Nordic welfare state: staying fit-for-purpose
There have been drastic changes to the political and economic climate since the inception of the Nordic welfare states in the twentieth century. Changes are required to meet the needs of today’s populations. People are less static than they once were; their roles both in and out of the job market change over time, and integration with the…
2019.04.25 | The Quick Read, Jason Lavery, Minorities, Governance
The Åland Islands
The Åland Islands lie at the south-western tip of the Finnish peninsula between Finland and Sweden. This archipelago of 6,500 islands and skerries is demilitarised, an autonomous region and a Swedish-speaking part of Finland.
2019.04.25 | The Quick Read, Inken Dose, Governance, Democracy
Ombudsman
Originating in Sweden in 1809, an ombudsman is generally regarded as an official body of complaint which protects individuals against abuses of power and maladministration. Finland and Denmark were the second and third countries to establish an ombudsman, and the idea later spread to the other Nordic countries and further afield. The idea of a…
2019.03.13 | Biography, Ann Legreid, Governance
Gro Harlem Brundtland (b. 1939)
Gro Harlem Brundtland is an internationally recognised Norwegian politician and environmentalist known for her advocacy of sustainability, public health and human rights. Among a number of public offices, she served as Prime Minister of Norway for ten years.
2019.02.27 | Article, Ainur Elmgren, Governance, Democracy
Open government in the Nordics
Open government is intended to ensure transparency, accountability and openness and involves fundamental issues such as press freedom, public disclosure and freedom of information legislation, all key aspects of the administration of Nordic states. These states were amongst the earliest to introduce lauded measures of open government, such as the…
2019.02.25 | Article, Peter Thaler, Governance
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands (Føroyar) consist of 18 main islands situated halfway between Scotland and Iceland in the North Atlantic. Their combined landmass of 1399 square kilometres is as of 2018 populated by approximately 50,000 inhabitants, of whom more than one-third live in the capital of Tórshavn. While part of the realm of Denmark, the Faroe Islands…
2019.02.21 | The Quick Read, Norbert Götz, Governance, Democracy
Parliamentary culture in the Nordic countries
The Nordic countries have a particular parliamentary culture characterised by consensus and working across party lines. Their parliaments remain influential institutions considering the general trend towards greater executive power. The principles of parliamentary government and universal suffrage were introduced comparatively early in Norden. The…