Oxford Scandinavian Studies Network

About

Image of painting "Jonsokbål" by Nikolai Astrup, showing a fire in the mountains

​ Image credit: “Jonsokbål” by Nikolai Arup, CC BY 4.0, Nasjonalmuseet in Oslo, Norway ​

The Oxford Scandinavian Studies Network is an interdisciplinary forum for scholars working on or interested in any topic related to Scandinavia. Our goal is to strengthen interest in Scandinavia as a region for exciting new scholarship, by arranging events where new research ideas on the region can be presented, discussed, and developed.

The Scandinavian Studies Network (a TORCH Student Network) is an interdisciplinary forum open to anyone working on or interested in Scandinavia. Our main goal is to strengthen interest in Scandinavia as a region for exciting new scholarship. 

Scandinavia (corresponding to modern-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) is a region closely bound together culturally, linguistically, and through strongly shared histories. Our Network focuses on the region from after the Reformation to present day. We wish to explore Scandinavian entanglements, whether aesthetic, historical, or cultural in nature, within a broader global context. We are also interested in areas formerly part of, or associated with, Scandinavia, such as early modern Scandinavian colonies in the Americas and Africa. 

We seek to create an intellectually stimulating platform for interested scholars to share, discuss, and engage with new research on Scandinavia. We are open to researchers at various career stages (in Oxford, the UK and abroad), however, we are particularly focused on supporting postgraduate students in developing their ideas. We welcome both disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, related to the Humanities and Social Sciences (historical, literary, sociological, etc.), to Scandinavian Studies.

Between 31st January and 14th March 2025, the Network will organise four hybrid sessions, where eight postgraduate speakers will present their burgeoning ideas and have them discussed. On the 6th of June 2025, the Network will host a one-day workshop where the same speakers present their finished papers or chapters, in addition to a keynote address.

 

Interested parties are free to contact the convenors:

Sarah Fengler (sarah.fengler@mod-langs.ox.ac.uk),

Leif Hammer (leif.hammer@history.ox.ac.uk),

Marie Martine (marie.martine@hertford.ox.ac.uk),

Tzen Sam (tzen.sam@jesus.ox.ac.uk)

The Oxford Scandinavian Studies is part of TORCH Student Networks.