Abolition and the Nordic

Overview & Synopsis

Abolition and the Nordic discusses the connections of abolitionism and the Nordic, uncovering how abolitionist ideas circulated through Nordic societies in newspapers, literature, theatre, music, visual culture, and political debate from the late 18th century to mid 20th century. Furthermore, it reveals the contradictions embedded within these discussions, and the complexities of condemning slavery while still reproducing racial hierarchies. Colonial history remains an important part of the Nordic legacy that has long been ignored, as the Nordic countries have often imagined themselves as morally removed from Europe’s colonial violence. This anthology brings together history, literary studies, art history, and music studies and initiate an urgently needed conversation about abolition’s forgotten legacies in the Nordic region.