Democracy and the Nordic Model

Seminar on Democracy and the Nordic Model at the University of Copenhagen, 14-15 November 2024 
Karen Blixens vej 8, room 12.03.07

The Nordic countries have a long tradition of priding themselves as model democracies, yet what is meant by the term has been subject to political debate at various junctures in history. The purpose of this workshop is to discuss transforming notions of democracy in the Nordic countries from the late 19th to the early 21st century. At the centre of our discussions are the relationship between democracy and the welfare state, arguments of Nordic democratic exceptionality, and the similarities and differences across the Nordic region. 
We will explore Nordic democracy from four different perspectives: (1) Law and individual rights, (2) politics and parties, and (3) associations and civil society. ch-to-lunch seminar at the University of Copenhagen, 14-15 November 2024.

Program 

Thursday 14 November

1230-1430: Historical layers of democracy
-    Haldor Byrkjeflot (Oslo): Democracy and the Nordic Model 
-    Jesper Lundsby Skov (Copenhagen): Popular Constitutionalism - a Model for the Future?
-    Josefin Hägglund (Malmö): The party as a problem and prerequisite of democracy: Sweden c. 1900–1945
-    Karolina Stenlund (Helsinki): Democracy and Nordic visions of time

Coffee

1500-1700: The welfare democracy
-    Anton Sylvest Lillør (Copenhagen): The people's vote in a Gallup democracy
-    Kristina Krake (Amsterdam): Cultural democracy in the making 
-    Johan Strang (Helsinki): Rights against the welfare state 
-    Jesper Vestermark Köber (Copenhagen): Beyond post-politics: The ideology of social democracy in 21th century Denmark

Dinner 

Friday 15 November
0930-1230: Liberalism and democracy
-   Anders Sevelstad & Morten Sivertsen (CBS): The moral elites and the 1891 pension reform 
-   Johan Karlsson Schaffer (Göteborg): How to undo a constitutional capture: Lessons from Sweden
-   Hugo Bonin (Jyväskylä): French and British neoliberals and 'liberal democracy', 1970s-1990s
-   Jenny Andersson (Uppsala): Democracy and capitalism 

-    Niklas Olsen: Conclusions 

Lunch

Please contact Niklas Olsen if you would like to participate: nolsen@hum.ku.dk