Past and Present Perspectives on Nordicness
A new anthology critically examines the notion of 'Nordic exceptionalism' from 18th-century accounts to contemporary discourse.
Gothenburg in 1793. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
The main research question is: Were ideas of exceptionalism already present in early discussions and debates about the Nordic countries?
Professor Emerita of History of Ideas Elisabeth Mansen contributes with the chapter ”Remnants of the Golden Age: Mary Wollstonecraft on Nature and Society in the North”.
The editors are Robert W. Rix, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Merethe Roos, University of South-Eastern Norway, Drammen, Norway; Eva-Lena Bergström, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden; Cian Duffy, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
The book is freely available online.
Elisabeth Mansén is Professor Emerita of History of Ideas at the Department of Culture and Aesthetics. The main themes of her research are the history of the five senses, and the history of spa culture in Sweden. Romantic literary salons, feminist classics and the cultural history of Sweden in the 18th century are among further interests.
Last updated: 2026-01-12
Source: Department of Culture and Aesthetics