The Nobel Prizes, hygge, crime fiction: How ‘Scandimania’ has taken over the world

While Scandinavian countries have increasingly come to resemble other European nations in their domestic and foreign policies, they have also been able to successfully capitalise on aspects of their history and culture that convey positive images of Nordicness to global audiences. Some of this can be characterised as “nation-branding” or “region-branding”, a form of deliberate soft power projection aimed at attracting consumer and investor interest. However, only a small portion of this activity is deliberate. Arguably, everyone has a brand – whether they are aware of it or not – and the Nordic brand has been very successful, even without conscious strategic promotion.

Nordic cultural exports are deeply intertwined with features specifically associated with the Nordic countries. These include their peripheral – and therefore exotic – geographical location, their “untouched” nature, their unique history and culture, and more. In hindsight, the 20th century’s decades of innovative domestic politics and multifaceted internationalism probably prepared Scandinavian countries particularly well for the role of major cultural exporters. Their appeal is drawn from their relatively low levels of military tension after the Second World War, a social model that is poised between socialism and capitalism, and the liberal, progressive and enlightened tone of Nordic societies....

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