Scandinavian Studies seminars and selected conferences, lectures, film screenings, exhibitions, and workshops (2015 -). The Northern Scholars series Departmental seminars and public lectures by visiting speakers from the Nordic countries, the Baltic countries and Scotland.Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. DateTitleSpeaker(s)29 June 2023The Northern Scholars Lectures: Dr Anja Tröger & Rachel RankinDr. Anja Tröger (University of Edinburgh) and Rachel Rankin26 May 2021Odysseus’ Tears and the Psychology of WeepingDr Eric Cullhed (Uppsala University)24 March 2021Facts and Feelings: A Cross-Channel Typology of Affective ContentDr Maria Esipova (University of Oslo)10 February 2021C.B. Wadström, S.T. Coleridge and the importance of radical Swedish-British networks in the 1790sAnders Mortensen (Lund University) Browse the Northern Scholars archive for all events in the series Scandinavian Studies Seminar Series An occasional series of talks - sometimes known as the Nordic Research Seminar Series - by colleagues, PhD students and visiting speakers. Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. DateTitleSpeaker(s)30 April 2018Natural Disasters as Triggers: The Danish Assault on Frisia in AD 810Dan Haycraft (University of Edinburgh)23 April 2018Swords from the Pagan Norse Graves of ScotlandDr Caroline Paterson (University of Stirling)14 February 2018Prickly Puffins: Translating (pseudo-)profanities and other emotive language in Norwegian children’s literatureDr Guy Puzey (University of Edinburgh)7 February 2018Dalastugor: Creating Images of Belonging through Diasporic Touch in Nordic ArtDr Sara Davies (University of Manchester)30 January 2018Screening Privilege: Global Injustice and Responsibility in 21st Century Scandinavian Film and MediaJulianne Yang (University of Oslo)23 January 2018Migrants in Scandinavian literatureAnja Tröger (University of Edinburgh)25 January 2017The Finnish Workplace - How Finnish Employees Are LedSaku Tihveräinen (University of Helsinki / University of Edinburgh) 7 December 2016The Topography of Salvation and Damnation - Heaven and Hell - in Old Norse LiteratureDr Haki Antonsson (University College London)30 November 2016Playing Devil's Advocate? Ruben Östlund's "Play" (2011) and the Politics of Multiculturalism in Contemporary SwedenKate Moffat (University of Stirling) 23 November 2016At the Crossroads: The Eastern Baltic in Viking-Age Long-Distance CommunicationDr Marika Mägi (Tallinn University)16 November 2016The Forbes Family in Swedish Service during the First Half of the Seventeenth CenturyDr Kathrin Zickermann (University of the Highlands and Islands)9 November 2016Nordic Italies: Representations of Italy in Nordic Literatures between the 1830s and the 1910sDr Elettra Carbone (University College London)2 November 2016Decadence and the North: Symbolist Art in the Nordic CountriesDr Marja Lahelma (University of Helsinki)19 October 2016Analogical Place-names in Western Iceland and Eastern Lewis; Connection or Coincidence?Geir Eysteinsson28 September 2016The Cinema of Ruben ÖstlundDr Mathias Korsgaard (Aarhus University)20 April 2016Viking SeminarChris Cooijmans (University of Edinburgh) 30 March 2016Nordic Noir, Landscape & Mindscape In Finno-Swedish Children’s LiteratureDr Mia Österlund (Åbo Akademi University) 29 March 2016What’s Up On The Glitter Scene? Recent Trends In Contemporary Finno-Swedish LiteratureDr Mia Österlund (Åbo Akademi University) 22 March 2016Modern LiteratureBarbara Tesio and Anja Tröger (University of Edinburgh)16 March 2016Naming, Society and Power: Critical Approaches in OnomasticsDr Guy Puzey (University of Edinburgh)9 March 2016Comparative LiteratureIda Hummel Gabrielsen and Laura Chapot (University of Edinburgh) 2 March 2016LinguisticsJade Jørgen Sanstead and Ruairidh Tarvet (University of Edinburgh)24 February 2016Nordic Cinema? – Industrial Practice and Marketplace RealitiesDr Pietari Kääpä (University of Stirling)11 February 2016The Significance of Erik Werenskiold’s Painting ‘A Peasant Burial’Dr Jan Cox 2 February 2016Vikings Beyond Boundaries: Migration and Diaspora In The Viking Age and AfterProfessor Judith Jesch (University of Nottingham)15 January 2016‘Historical Truth’ or Mythical Construction?Lin Marte Heggem (University of Edinburgh) Conferences and symposia Thinking About Mythology in the 21st Century An annual conference jointly organised by the departments of Celtic and Scottish Studies and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Edinburgh.Each year, the conference has a different theme related to Celtic and Old Norse mythology - previous themes include Myth and History, Boundaries, and Similarities and Differences. Typically, the conference runs over two or three days and comprises a mix of panel sessions, keynote plenaries, workshops and networking opportunities.Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. DatesThemeVenueKeynote speakers19 and 20 October 2019Myth and History50 George SquareProfessor Joseph Nagy (Harvard University); Dr Emily Lyle (University of Edinburgh); Professor John Carey (University College Cork); Professor Jonas Wellendorf (University of California at Berkeley)10 and 11 November 2018Boundaries50 George SquareProfessor Ruairi Ó hUiginn (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies); Professor Jens Peter Schjodt (Aarhus University); Dr Kevin Murray (University College Cork)10 and 11 November 2017Similarities and differences50 George Square; David Hume TowerProfessor Stephen A. Mitchell (Harvard University); Professor Gregory Toner (Queen’s University, Belfast); Professor Jonathan Wooding (University of Sydney); Professor Jonas Wellendorf (University of California at Berkeley) More conferences and symposia Nordic Branding and The Reception of the Nordic Model Abroad Dates: 23 and 24 October 2019Venue: St Leonard's Hall, University of Edinburgh (Day 1); 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh (Day 2)Keynote speakers: Alasdair Allan (Member of the Scottish Parliament); Bertel Haarder (Member of the Folketing - Danish Parliament); Professor Daniel Chartier (University of Québec in Montréal); Professor Ulla Börestam (University of Uppsala)Chairs: Dr Arne Kruse; Dr Alan Macniven; Dr Daniel Clegg; Dr Ruairidh Tarvet In brief: A two-day conference on perceptions and views of the Nordic model and Nordic region in non-Nordic (especially near-Nordic) European countries. Made possible with the support of the Co-ordinating Committee for Nordic Studies Abroad (SNU) and the University of Oslo, the event comprised keynote lectures, chaired panel sessions, and a public talk by visiting Northern Scholar, the Icelandic author Hallgrímur Helgason. Migration, Mobility and Momentum in the North Dates: 3 and 4 December 2018Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghKeynote speakers: Professor Sir Tom Devine (University of Edinburgh); Vilborg Davíðsdóttir; Professor Moritz Schramm (University of Southern Denmark); Professor Anne Ring Petersen (University of Copenhagen); Dr Cristine Sarrimo (Lund University)Chairs: Robert Fell; Dr Frauke Matthes; Dr Ruairidh Tarvet; Dr Bjarne Thomsen; Kari Dickson; Valerie Goodman; Anja Tröjer In brief: A two-day interdisciplinary symposium, co-organised in collaboration with the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH), exploring the themes of migration and mobility from a range of different cultural and temporal perspectives. Made possible with the support of the Co-ordinating Committee for Nordic Studies Abroad (SNU), the event comprised keynote lectures, chaired panel sessions, and public talks by visiting Northern Scholars. Noir Aesthetics in World Literatures Date: 15 June 2018Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghOrganisers: Dr María Alonso Alonso, Dr Charlotte Bosseaux, Dr Véronique Desnain and Dr Fiona MackintoshIn brief: A one-day symposium on the evolution of narrative techniques towards noir aesthetics in world literatures. Combining panel sessions involving nine selected researchers, and a facilitated conversation with author Christopher Brookmyre, the event looked at texts which favour the adoption of a new consciousness towards cultural politics, as they reinforce the connection between literature and public affairs. Related research: Language and Violence Find out more about research in DELC 100 Years of Finnish Independence: Mistä? Missä? Mihin? Date: 4 December 2017Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghSpeakers: Professor Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila (University of Edinburgh); Dr Susanna Niskanen (University of Dundee); Rachel Rankin (University of Edinburgh); Jenni Brodie (Scottish-Finnish Society); Sanni Suhonen (University of Edinburgh)In brief: A special event to mark the centenary of Finnish independence showcasing Finnish-Scottish relations, readings and research on topics including literature, education, and the refugee experience. Negotiating Nations: Scandinavian Discourse on Identity & Expression Date: 7 October 2016Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghSpeakers: Dr Anna Bohlin (Stockholm University); Dr Caroline Haux (Stockholm University); Helena Jäderblom (European Court of Human Rights); Dr Jonas Nordin (National Library of Sweden); Dr David Goldberg (Project Forsskål); Peter Graves (University of Edinburgh); Ian Giles (University of Edinburgh)In brief: A one-day conference comprising two public sessions by visiting speakers:Enchanting Nations: Commodity Market, Folklore and Nationalism in Scandinavian Literature 1830-1850250 Years of Press Freedom: Sweden's Contribution to Open Communications Norse and Native in Northwest Europe Date: 21 May 2015Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghSpeakers: Sofia Evemalm (University of Glasgow); Christian Cooijmans; Patrick Jolicoeur (University of Glasgow); Ryan Foster (University of Edinburgh); Dr Shane McLeod (University of Stirling); Dr Caroline PatersonIn brief: A one-day conference providing a friendly forum for academics of all career stages to showcase and discuss their current research. Co-hosted with the Scottish Society for Northern Studies, the event focused on pre-modern interactions between Scandinavians and native communities in the British Isles, the North Atlantic, and Continental Europe through a variety of historical media. Lectures, talks, discussions and readings Scotland and the Nordic Model Date: 18 May 2022Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghSpeaker: Dr Ruairidh Tarvet (University of Edinburgh)In brief: A talk on Scotland and its relationship with the Nordic Model given to a visiting delegation of staff and students from Danish Folk High School, Annas Højskole. Nordic Literature Week in Scotland: Scandinavian Stories & Hygge Date: 12 November 2019Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghIn brief: Student readings of Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder and Babette’s Feast by Karen Blixen. Part of Nordic Literature Week's simultaneous read aloud event, where themed stories are read out loud at the same time across the Nordic and Baltic countries, and in other Nordic institutions around the world. George Marwick’s Orcadian Account of ‘The Muckle Tree or Igasill’: Folklore or Literature? Date: 25 September 2019Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghSpeaker: Professor Terry Gunnell (University of Iceland)In brief: A free public talk hosted jointly with Celtic and Scottish Studies. Allsång, Abba och annat! Date: 20 November 2018Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghIn brief: A traditional Nordic singalong, ABBA karaoke, and a glass of wine. Part of the DELC Festive Showcase, bringing staff and students together to celebrate languages and cultures from around Europe. The Vikings in Islay Date: 25 November 2015Venue: 50 George Square, University of EdinburghSpeaker: Dr Alan Macniven (University of Edinburgh)In brief: A public lecture, drinks reception and book signing to celebrate the launch of The Vikings in Islay, a systematic review of around 300 of Islay's farm and nature names, turning traditional assumptions about the history of the Scottish island on their head.Related research: Islay Life Explorer (ÌLE) Read more about Islay Life Explorer on our research page This article was published on 2025-08-22
