Nordic Models in the Age of Populism

We are told that Nordic countries have it all: happiness, equality, welfare, transparency, economic competitiveness, trust, and government effectiveness. The Economist proclaimed the Nordics to be “The Next Supermodel.” Yet, this idealized portrait of the region is tempered by the electoral success of populist parties and the treatment of asylum-seekers and migrants. The norms of consensus and conformity embedded in Nordic institutions represent utopia to some but dystopia to others. This workshop explores the secrets and paradoxes of Nordic cooperation in areas such as tripartite bargaining, rules for gender equality, humanitarian penal policies, and cultural innovations (in cuisine, design and film) of these small societies. The Nordic countries and council of ministers are keen to present themselves as a model for others. But is Nordic exceptionalism mostly a public relations success? How relevant is knowledge of Nordic successes and failures for other parts of the world? What is the true impact of Nordic cooperation?