Scandinavian Studies

Past events

Scandinavian Studies seminars and selected conferences, lectures, film screenings, exhibitions, and workshops (2015 -).

The Northern Scholars series

Departmental seminars and public lectures by visiting speakers from the Nordic countries, the Baltic countries and Scotland.

Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. 

Date Title Speaker(s)
26 May 2021 Odysseus’ Tears and the Psychology of Weeping

Dr Eric Cullhed (Uppsala University)

24 March 2021 Facts and Feelings: A Cross-Channel Typology of Affective Content

Dr Maria Esipova (University of Oslo)

10 February 2021 C.B. Wadström, S.T. Coleridge and the importance of radical Swedish-British networks in the 1790s

Anders Mortensen (Lund University)

Browse the Northern Scholars archives for all events in the series

Conferences and symposia

Thinking About Mythology in the 21st Century

An annual conference jointly organised by the departments of Celtic and Scottish Studies and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Each year, the conference has a different theme related to Celtic and Old Norse mythology - previous themes include Myth and History, Boundaries, and Similarities and Differences. 

Typically, the conference runs over two or three days and comprises a mix of panel sessions, keynote plenaries, workshops and networking opportunities.

Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. 

Dates Theme Venue Keynote speakers
19 and 20 October 2019 Myth and History 50 George Square Professor Joseph Nagy (Harvard University); Dr Emily Lyle (University of Edinburgh); Professor John Carey (University College Cork); Professor Jonas Wellendorf (University of California at Berkeley)
10 and 11 November 2018 Boundaries 50 George Square Professor Ruairi Ó hUiginn (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies); Professor Jens Peter Schjodt (Aarhus University); Dr Kevin Murray (University College Cork)
10 and 11 November 2017 Similarities and differences 50 George Square; David Hume Tower Professor Stephen A. Mitchell (Harvard University); Professor Gregory Toner (Queen’s University, Belfast); Professor Jonathan Wooding (University of Sydney); Professor Jonas Wellendorf (University of California at Berkeley)

More conferences and symposia

Photo of a nordic forest with the words Nordic Branding superimposed

Dates: 23 and 24 October 2019

Venue: St Leonard's Hall, University of Edinburgh (Day 1); 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh (Day 2)

Keynote speakers: Alasdair Allan (Member of the Scottish Parliament); Bertel Haarder (Member of the Folketing - Danish Parliament); Professor Daniel Chartier (University of Québec in Montréal); Professor Ulla Börestam (University of Uppsala)

Chairs: Dr Arne Kruse; Dr Alan Macniven; Dr Daniel Clegg; Dr Ruairidh Tarvet

In brief: A two-day conference on perceptions and views of the Nordic model and Nordic region in non-Nordic (especially near-Nordic) European countries. Made possible with the support of the Co-ordinating Committee for Nordic Studies Abroad (SNU) and the University of Oslo, the event comprised keynote lectures, chaired panel sessions, and a public talk by visiting Northern Scholar, the Icelandic author Hallgrímur Helgason.

Lectures, talks, discussions and readings

Date: 18 May 2022

Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh

Speaker: Dr Ruairidh Tarvet (University of Edinburgh)

In brief: A talk on Scotland and its relationship with the Nordic Model given to a visiting delegation of staff and students from Danish Folk High School, Annas Højskole.