Heathenry and the Use and Abuse of „roots“ in a Reconstructionist Religious Movement
The symbol of roots plays an important role in the new religious movement Heathenry, whose main defining points are the veneration of Germanic deities and a focus on Old Norse literature. In this blog post, I want to show how the narrative of „reconstructing“ pre-Christian religions is combined with the idea of „roots“ and how this ties into nationalism and claims of „indigenousness.“
Vikings – Ragnar Loðbrók & Sons‘ raging expansion
History Channel’s series „Vikings“ revolves around the legendary Viking Ragnar Loðbrók and his sons. In its six seasons, viewers witness one Viking family’s quest to explore, pillage and seize the world. The raging, colonial expansion of Ragnar & sons…
The more North, the more Magic: Medieval Sámi Stereotypes in ‚Frozen II‘
Disney’s ‚Frozen II‘ is a milestone and a huge step in the right direction concerning the collaboration with Indigenous people. The Sámi-inspired Northuldra seem great: they are innocent, have reindeer, are one with nature and can even do magic! But these stereotypes are deeply rooted in the history of texts about the Sámi and still have an impact today.
Bird People, Fairies and Others
How does one make an Other? And if one has made an Other what does that legitimise? Let’s take a look at medieval European stories, how they give people beaks just to pick on them, and more.
How to Tame Your (Post-)Colonialism
Over the past couple years since How to Train Your Dragon first came out in 2010, there have been a handful of articles about its connection to postcolonialism. This is one of them.
„Reading“ front covers
Same content – different look. When books are translated into foreign languages, their content remains the same but their cover often changes entirely. What do front covers tell the reader and how do they differ? Shown on the example of Kim Leine’s book Rød mand/Sort mand.
Finns as a Medium to Establish Hypermasculinity in Medieval Ages
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Kon-Tiki: A White Man’s Journey
Thor Heyerdahl was a scientist, an explorer, an author, an environmentalist and global citizen. He went on an adventure when the world thought there were no more adventure left to have. But his image is not as unproblematic as one would expect. The theory behind the Kon-Tiki journey has been controversial since it has been presented.
The Greenlandic Language in a Colonial Space
Colonialists bring their language to their colonies and thus create language contact with the language of the natives. Often the natives‘ language is suppressed in the process, but how is the situation in Greenland?
Literary Otherness in Nordic National Epics – The Case of the Sámi
How are the Sámi depicted in Nordic national epics? Their role in the story, as well as their descriptions, can tell us much about how growing nationalistic feeling saw minorities and how these were classified as others.