The Quick Read
This is a list of all 'Quick Reads' in the order they were published. Quick Reads are intended to provide quick, evidence-based information on a particular topic. They are generally short, encyclopaedic entries of about 1000 words on, for example, specific, named companies, brands, organisations, themes within a subject area etc, or entries on particular terms used in Nordic languages which are not necessarily easily to translate without further discussion. To customise your search, use the 'category' buttons, or the search function.
2019.06.05 | The Quick Read, William C Miller, Architecture & design
Prominent 21st century architecture in Iceland
From infrastructure and housing projects to culture and recreation centres, recent Icelandic architecture includes a range of design directions, among them the neo-modernism characteristic of the Nordics.
2019.06.04 | The Quick Read, Robin Pettitt, Democracy
Political coalitions in the Nordic region
Nordic countries have been labelled ‘consensual democracies’ due to the use of cross-party coalitions in forming governments. As political parties that are in competition with one another end up working together, it arguably reduces aggressive, oppositional electioneering, and fosters collaboration. On the other hand, it is difficult for voters to…
2019.05.28 | The Quick Read, Susanna Fellman, Economy, Public policy
The 'Nordic model' of capitalism
The five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) are often characterised as being welfare capitalist, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. However, the institutional frameworks and economic policy models have changed over time, and the ‘model’ used has varied between countries and…
2019.05.22 | The Quick Read, William C Miller, Architecture & design
Fusion of art and nature along Norway’s scenic routes
A national initiative developed by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) from the 1990s onwards creates numerous artistic, architectural, and landscape design experiences located along scenic travel routes in Norway’s striking and dramatic natural settings. Intended to increase access and bolster businesses in the rural countryside, the…
2019.05.22 | The Quick Read, William C Miller, Architecture & design
Prominent 21st century architecture in Norway
An affluent country, Norway boasts remarkable productivity in architecture and infrastructure in recent decades, often drawing on neo-modernism, as well as a profound appreciation of the country's natural landscapes.
2019.05.08 | The Quick Read, William C Miller, Architecture & design
Prominent 21st century architecture in Finland
Recent Finnish architecture of note includes civic, cultural and religious works, ranging in style from neo-modernism to the more culturally referenced.
![Niels Simonsen's 'Tilbagetoget fra Dannevirke' [The Retreat from Dannevirke], 1864.](typo3temp/_processed_/csm_NielsSimonsenPainting_c0d6ab9602.jpg)
2019.05.01 | The Quick Read, Rasmus Glenthøj, Culture, Nation building
The meaning of the Second Schleswig War ('1864') in Denmark
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…
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, Culture, The arts
Danish Cultural Institute
Founded in 1940, the Danish Cultural Institute aims to foster intercultural understanding both at home and abroad, and has branches in seven countries with activities and networks in many more. Financed by the Danish Ministry of Culture, private funds and its own revenue, it focuses on diverse themes.
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…