1st Edition

The Routledge Handbook of Scandinavian Politics

Edited By Peter Nedergaard, Anders Wivel Copyright 2018
    340 Pages
    by Routledge

    340 Pages 49 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The Routledge Handbook of Scandinavian Politics is a comprehensive overview of Scandinavian politics provided by leading experts in the field and covering the polity, the politics and the policy of Scandinavia. Coherently structured with a multi-level thematic approach, it explains and details Scandinavian politics today through a series of cutting-edge chapters. It will be a key reference point both for advanced-level students developing knowledge about the subject, as well as researchers producing new material in the area and beyond. It brings geographical scope and depth, with comparative chapters contributed by experts across the region. Methodologically and theoretically pluralistic, the handbook is in itself a reflection of the field of political science in Scandinavia and the diversity of the issues covered in the volume.



    The Routledge Handbook of Scandinavian Politics will be an essential reference for scholars, students, researchers and practitioners interested and working in the fields of Scandinavian politics, European politics, comparative politics and international relations.

    1. Introduction: Scandinavian Politics between Myth and Reality



    2. The Modern Scandinavian Welfare State



    3. The Egalitarian Paradise?



    4. Still the Corporatist Darlings? 



    5. The Green 'Heavyweights': The Climate Policies of the Nordic Countries 



    6. Goldilocks' Frankenstein Monster: The Rise, Political Entrenchment and Transformation of the Scandinavian Welfare States



    7. Nordic Administrative Traditions



    8. Cabinets and Ministerial Turnover in the Scandinavian Countries



    9. The Parliaments of the Scandinavian Countries 



    10. Nordic Voters and Party Systems 



    11. Public Opinion and Politics in Scandinavia



    12. Continuity and Convergence: Populism in Scandinavia



    13. Social Capital in the Scandinavian Countries



    14. The Role of the Media in Scandinavian Politics



    15. Fiscal Policy in the Scandinavian Countries



    16. The Fisheries Policy in the Nordic Countries: From Open Access to Rights-based Management Fisheries



    17. Making and Re-making the Nordic Model of Education



    18. Immigrant Policies of the Scandinavian Countries



    19. Scandinavian Models of Diplomacy



    20. Scandinavian Defence and Alliance Policies: Different Together





    21. Scandinavia and the European Union: Pragmatic Functionalism Reconsidered



    22. The United Nations and the Nordic Four: Cautious Sceptics, Committed Believers, Cost-benefit Calculators



    23. Scandinavian Development Policies



    24. Conclusions: Scandinavian Polities, Politics and Policies Reconsidered

    Biography

    Peter Nedergaard is Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.



    Anders Wivel is Professor with special responsibilities at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

    ‘All things Scandinavian are in fashion. But this fantastic volume urges us to see the Nordic countries as increasingly integrated in Europe and the world, even as each nation retains some of its distinctiveness. No other book in the market offers such a sophisticated, balanced, and rich analysis of Nordic politics and societies.’ - Francesco Duina, Bates College, USA.

    ‘This book brilliantly captures both the traditional and changing features of Scandinavian polities, politics and policies. The authors, by combining Scandinavian past and present, catch the essence of Scandinavian domestic and external affairs and shed light on how states can flourish in turbulent times.’ - Baldur Thorhallsson, University of Iceland, Iceland.

    ‘The terms "Scandinavia" and "the Nordic model" tend to be used with increasing flexibility. This calls for a critical discussion of the Nordic examples in all their complexity and this impressively comprehensive handbook explores both the achievements and the challenges of the Nordic countries. It is essential for anyone interested in the Nordic societies, within or outside the region itself.’ - Johan Strang, University of Helsinki, Finland.