The increased Nordic cultural co-operation: an opportunity or a threat? A research about the consequences of the increased Nordic cultural co-operation for the cultural relations of the Nordic countries with foreign countries

Abstract

This research anticipates the increasing interest among scholars and governments in transnational collaboration and positioning by exploring cultural co-operation in the Nordic region from the perspective of Nordic countries. The main question is: What are the consequences of the increased Nordic cultural co-operation for the cultural relations of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with foreign countries? This question is answered via a literature study and policy analysis. The literature study is used to construct a theoretical framework of the concepts of national identity and Nordic identity. The policy analysis reveals how governments of the Nordic countries formally deal with international cultural affairs and what the intended formal Nordic cultural co-operation looks like. These insights illustrate that increased Nordic cultural co-operation has limited consequences for the cultural relations between the Nordic and foreign countries.