Right (control) Click to Download LogoJPG | PDF

The Nordic Studies Scholarly Interest Group encourages and promotes research and teaching about the cinema and media of the Scandinavian and Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden), in this respect complementing other SCMS area studies-based SIGs. The productions and institutions of the Nordic countries are often regarded as key examples of what is, and has been, possible in "small nations." Providing a gathering place for scholars interested in Scandinavian cinema and other media forms should strengthen contacts and encourage cooperative research between Scandinavian and international experts working on a multitude of thematic areas, theoretical traditions and methodological approaches. On the one hand this SIG will offer international scholars the chance to gain access to information on historical and contemporary Scandinavian film cultures, current research projects and other topical areas of interest. On the other hand the group will offer Scandinavian researchers an opportunity to assert the relevance of studies of Scandinavian material within an international framework, to foster comparative discussions, and to prompt assessment of the ways research on Scandinavian cinema and media may contribute to theoretical and historical discussions on a more global level. There are a number of areas where international interest in Scandinavian cinema and media already exists; there are others where interest has yet to be established or consolidated. Silent era filmmaking in Scandinavia is an internationally renowned area of research, for example, together with scholarship on an established canon of auteurs like Carl Theodor Dreyer or Ingmar Bergman. Other phenomena are known internationally but have not yet been subject to sufficient scholarship: political documentary, animation, Nordic noir, and the pioneering representations of sex, sexuality, and sexual diversity emerging from the Nordic countries are prominent examples where further transnational studies are required. In a large number of other areas, however, Scandinavian cinema and media history is little known internationally, and unique material, parallel developments and transnational influences await exploration. These will contribute to a richer understanding of global variations in cinema and media. It is the ambition of the Scandinavian SIG to be a leading forum for advancing scholarship on all these aspects of Scandinavian cinema and media.

Mission Statement

The Nordic countries enjoy a rich tradition of film and media. Scandinavian screen and sound cultures are vibrant. The aim of the Scandinavian Scholarly Interest Group is to invite scholars and teachers to explore the works, performances, audiences, industries, institutions and ideas that make up and/or promote these cultures. We seek to stimulate exchange of ideas across national and disciplinary boundaries, and we are dedicated to establishing and maintaining linkages with other SIGs and caucuses on areas of mutual interest and concern.

View members' group page/Join Now >

Contact

Helle Kannik Haastrup (Co-chair)
Daniel Humphrey (Co-chair)
Maxine Savage (Graduate Student Representative)