Nordic Nationalism and Right-Wing Populist Politics

Based on a constructivist approach, this book offers a comparative analysis into the causes of nationalist populist politics in each of the five Nordic independent nation states. Behind the social liberal façade of the economically successful, welfare-orientated Nordic states, right-wing populism has found support in the region. Such parties emerged first in Denmark and Norway in the 1970s, before becoming prominent in Sweden and Finland after the turn of the millennium and in Iceland in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008, when populist parties surged throughout the Nordics. The author traces these Nationalist trails of thoughts back to the National Socialistic movements of the 1920s and 1930s (the respective Nordic version Nazi parties) and before, to the birth of the Nordic nation states in the nineteenth century following the failure of integration. Since then, as the book argues, separate nationalisms have grown strong in each of the countries. This study will appeal to students and scholars as well as wider audiences interested in European Politics, Nordic Politics, Nationalism, and Populism. 

• populism
• extreme right
• far right
• scandinavia
• denmark
• iceland
• norway
• sweden
• finland

“Bergmann provides a timely survey and analysis of Populist Nationalism, which is finding substantial electoral support across the Nordic countries. His fine-grained analysis succeeds in providing nuance and clarity to the origins and significant variation in this phenomenon across time and space in the Nordics. Bergmann’s excellent comparative work on the topic will help scholars to make sense of the particularities and similarities both amongst the Nordic countries as well as relating these experiences in a meaningful manner to experiences elsewhere in Europe.” (Dr. Claes Belfrage, University of Liverpool, UK)

“An excellent and timely contribution to the puzzle that is populist right wing nationalism in the Nordics. Bergmann traces the nationalist history of the five Nordic countries concentrating on the ongoing under currents of Nordic nationalism. In doing so he uncovers the dichotomy behind the paradox of why some voters in some of the world’s richest, most successful, most peaceful countries nonetheless are attracted by nationalist, populist rhetoric.” (Jane Suiter, Dublin City University, Ireland)<

“A thought-provoking and extremely timely volume that convincingly traces the roots of present-day nationalism and right wing populism in the Nordic countries.” (Lise Rye, Norwegian University of Science and Technology – NTNU, Norway)

“In this excellent account Bergmann intertwines two main strategies that make it essential for anyone willing to understand contemporary populist political movements in the Nordic states: first it grounds the analysis on a diachronic presentation of how nationalism unfolded in each of the states; second, it provides the reader with a thorough presentation of present days’ populist movements in each of the countries, thus enabling a final comparative perspective. Furthermore, the clear-cut style makes the reading not only valuable but also very enjoyable.” (Cláudia Toriz Ramos, Fernando Pessoa University, Porto,Portugal)

“Bergmann’s book provides a most valuable contribution by connecting the nationalism and populist politics in five intimately related case studies of the Nordic countries. Surely a must ‘go to’ volume for overview.” (Ulrik Pram Gad, Aalborg University, Denmark)

• Bifrost University, Iceland

  Eirikur Bergmann

Eirikur Bergmann is Professor of Politics at Bifrost University, Iceland, and Visiting Professor at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is also Director of the Centre for European Studies in Iceland. Professor Bergmann is the author of many books. He writes mainly on Nationalism, Populism, European Integration, Icelandic Politics and on Participatory Democracy. Bergmann was a member of Iceland’s Constitutional Council in 2011.       

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