Public policy, gender equality and labour markets
Policy making in the Nordics is characterised by the welfare state and a culture of working together, from the cross-party parliamentary culture, to tripartite negotiations between the government, employers and employees, to gender inclusiveness in the workplace. Many of these aspects are seen as making up what is often referred to as the Nordic model. However, gender segregation within the workforce remains high and other complex paradoxes exist that must not be overlooked. This page seeks to provide articles on both the traditional view of the Nordics as well as research that deconstructs that view. New articles are added on a regular basis.
2019.07.17 | Article, Byron J. Nordstrom, Labour markets, Economy, Region-building
Emigration in the Nordics: an overview since 1800s
Emigration has been a part of population mobility in the Nordic region for centuries. The numbers were generally very small until the mid-nineteenth century when a wide variety of 'push factors', such as limited farming opportunities, and 'pull factors', such as the promise of cheap or free land, led to mass migration from Norden. In the…
2019.07.10 | The Quick Read, Byron J. Nordstrom, Labour markets
Employer federations in the Nordics
Along with their trade union counterparts, employer federations have been key players in the negotiation of nationwide agreements on wages and working conditions, as well as contributors to governmental policy formulation. In addition, this collaboration has served at times to obscure the focus of employers’ federations on economic growth and…
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…
2019.06.21 | Original sources, Nation building, Law
USA's declaration on Danish sovereignty of Greenland, 1916
On 4th August 1916, the American government issued a declaration to the Danish government that it would not raise objections if Denmark extended its interests in Greenland to include the entire island. This was perhaps surprising given the 1832 Monroe Doctrine intended to limit European colonialism. The declaration paved the way for recognition of…
2019.06.14 | Original sources, Democracy, Law
EEC referenda in Denmark and Norway, 1972
Both Denmark and Norway held referenda on whether to join the European Economic Community in 1972. After Danes supported joining and Norwegians did not, this editorial was published in a federalist journal in which the editors try to understand the differing results.
2019.06.13 | Article, Susanna Fellman, Economy
Economic development in the Nordic countries
The Nordic countries are today among the richest countries in the world measured by GDP per capita. These countries also come top in more or less every international comparison of competitiveness. This was not the case 150 years ago. In the mid-nineteenth century the Nordic economies lagged behind those of the leading industrialised nations. The…
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…
2019.05.21 | Article, Hannah Yoken, Gender, Reputation
Transnational interaction among feminist activists in the Nordic Countries, 1970s-2000
The Nordic countries are globally renowned as states that embrace gender equality. However, the region also has a rich history of feminist activism at the grassroots level. This history includes activism undertaken during ‘second wave’ feminism, from the late 1960s to the 1990s. During this period of time the women’s movements benefitted from…
2019.04.26 | Article, Nicola Witcombe, Law, Governance, Minorities
The European Convention on Human Rights: Copenhagen Declaration 2018
The Copenhagen Declaration 2018 is a non-binding road map for the Council of Europe with respect to the European Convention on Human Rights. It was agreed by the 47 members of the Council of Europe during Denmark’s chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers from November 2017 to May 2018. The Danish government’s position was to push for greater…
2019.04.25 | The Quick Read, Jason Lavery, Minorities, Democracy, 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.