Opinion — Nordic Labour Journal

The Nordic's most precious resource

(Sep 08, 2021) Trust is a crucial resource for the Nordic welfare states, but it does not cover everything and everyone. If you look closer, there are big differences in trust between the Nordic countries, but also internally in each of them.

Is the Nordic cooperation more fragile than we thought?

(Jun 29, 2021) As the Corona pandemic hit in early 2020, there was a brutal and global stock market crash, unemployment skyrocketed in many countries and air traffic more or less came to a halt.

The many languages of working life

(May 28, 2021) In this edition, we look at work from several different points of view. But in reality, it all comes down to the same thing. Work gives us an identity and experiences we would not have otherwise. That is why we are vulnerable when our professional roles are under attack. Or if we never get the chance to work.

The green transition needs public support

(Apr 29, 2021) The green transition and Greenland. Are the two linked? The election result which turned the power balance upside down on the island was influenced by a controversial mining project. It promised an abundance of rare earth materials needed for lithium batteries that are used in electric cars and wind turbines.

Nordic cooperation during extreme times

(Mar 24, 2021) The Nordic Council of Ministers is 50 this year. Meanwhile, the cooperation between the Nordic countries is being challenged more than ever since 1971. But many things have also worked and we have gained new insight into the importance of our open borders.

How to become equal despite being different?

(Feb 24, 2021) A society can be unjust in many ways – different pay for different genders or discrimination of those who do not fit into the traditional gender roles. But people within minority groups, like those with disabilities, can also be treated unequally.

Do we know more about the USA than Europe?

(Jan 22, 2021) Many have become experts on US politics in the past 12 months. A few days ago, Donald Trump left the White House for the last time and Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the USA. The transfer of power also has consequences for the Nordics and Europe.

Even Santa Claus is hit by the Corona crisis

(Dec 10, 2020) The Nordic model is not past its best-before date. On the contrary, it is needed and it has shown its strength during the Corona pandemic. But it faces new challenges, which call for innovative welfare system finance solutions when new forms of employment and new technology disrupt entire sectors.

Towards happier times?

(Nov 11, 2020) A Covid-19 vaccine with a 90% success rate was a longed-for piece of news as the Nordic region is facing the second wave of the pandemic. This crisis also impacts on the integration of newly-arrived immigrants.

Life-saving communication

(Oct 07, 2020) The Corona pandemic continues its impact on Nordic citizens, who so far have supported their own governments and other authorities. In Iceland’s second city Akureyri, party politics have even been put aside and all political parties have joined forces on the city council.

Collective agreements important for people's trust in the future

(Sep 09, 2020) It has been trying times for everyone participating in the Nordic exercise known as collective bargaining. The social partners deciding, between themselves, how wages should develop, is one of the pillars of the Nordic model.

Has the Corona crisis damaged the Nordic cooperation?

(Jun 14, 2020) Will the Nordics emerge strong after the Corona crisis, or has their cooperation been weakened by different forces triggered by the pandemic? The answer is, as so often is the case, complicated.

Who pays for Corona in the end?

(May 15, 2020) We all benefit from measures to prevent transmission, but the economic consequences are not equally divided. The contamination risk must therefore be measured against the economic consequences, now that the Nordic countries are entering a phase of reopening their societies.

A Nordic state of emergency

(Apr 15, 2020) The corona epidemic has closed borders in the Nordic region and the rest of the world. In most countries governments have increased their powers and citizenship has become more important, while personal freedom has been restrained.

Most issues now have a gender dimension

(Mar 06, 2020) The 8th of March is being marked in many different ways across the Nordics. What is the most important issue on International Women’s Day? We look at what has happened after women again have managed to gain more positions of political power in Finland, how the fight for equal pay is doing in Sweden and what Denmark is doing to fight sexual harassment in the workplace.