ReNEW Third Nordic Challenges Conference

The ReNEW conference 2019 on ‘Nordic challenges’ focuses on how democratic institutions and practices as well as culture and values are changing in response to the multiple global challenges faced by Nordic countries. Nordics have seen themselves as key players at the international and European level, often setting the agenda in a wide variety of issues, such as peace, welfare, socially-viable competitiveness, climate change and human rights. But global challenges such as migration and inequalities have intensified recently. As a consequence, the master narrative of globalization as a positive development for the Nordics as small, open economies, has been challenged by nationalist and protectionist agendas.  Brexit and the election of Trump are the most significant examples of anti-globalization political reactions.  The Nordic countries have, likewise, seen a shift from liberalism and openness, to a more nationalist and closed approach. International and European cooperation is being looked upon critically, and policies across various policy areas are more inward looking than previously. The intensification of global challenges has political and cultural repercussions, which will be discussed in the two semi-plenaries of this conference.

 Panels are organized within the following six topics:

1. Nordic cooperation and region-building;
2. Democracy, governance and law;
3. Public policy, gender equality and labour markets;
4. Imagining Norden - branding and Nordic reputation;
5. Multiculturalism and globalization;
6. Nordic culture, education and media.

Please visit the conference webpage to read more about the conference and sign up.