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This monograph represents an expansion and deepening of previous works by Ole J. Benedictow - the author of highly esteemed monographs and articles on the history of plague epidemics and historical demography. In the form of a collection of articles, the author presents an in-depth monographic study on the history of plague epidemics in Scandinavian countries and on controversies of the microbiological and epidemiological fundamentals of plague epidemics.
This volume considers the linguistic borders between languages and dialects, as well as the administrative, cultural and mental borders that reflect or affect linguistic ones; it comprises eight articles examining the mental borders between dialects, dialect continua and areas of mixed dialect, language ideologies, language mixing and contact-induced language change. The book opens with Dennis R. Preston’s review article on perceptual dialectology, showing how this field of study provides insights on laymen’s perceptions about dialect boundaries, and how such perceptions explain regional and social variation. Johanna Laakso problematizes the common notion of languages as having clear...
This volume examines workshop waste and discusses the craftspeople in the Viking town of Kaupang including their activities, crafted products, raw materials, skills and networks. The study focuses on artefacts used in non-ferrous metalworking: crucibles, moulds, matrix dies, tuyeres and a unique collection of lead models.The tools and the waste material provide a completely new understanding of the craftspeople who were working with gold, silver, copper alloys, lead and tin. These metalworkers mastered many different materials and techniques; indeed, they were well-informed, well-trained and skillful, and manufactured a range of different items for women and men. There is every reason to bel...
Education is a societal matter and takes place in relation to societal changes. Today, in many countries, it has to grapple with diversity and differences brought about by migration and changes in gender relations. Questions of values, human rights and the role of religions are raised. In this book scholars from Sweden, Norway, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, Namibia and South Africa discuss the issues above. Similarities as well as differences are highlighted. The varied contributors engage in a North-South dialogue. Among the questions addressed are: Can the Scandinavian countries be understood as more religious than their up-to-date, seemingly secularist reputation has led us to believe? ...
Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all managed to stay out of World War I, but all three countries were deeply affected by it. Opening with a systematically comparative introduction to the history of the Scandinavian countries during that time period, this account then presents 13 case studies examining the impact of the war on these neutral entities. From inflation and the shortage of consumer goods to widespread poverty and political unrest - not to mention the thousands of Scandinavian soldiers who participated in the war - this unique compilation 'analyzes the military and economic consequences as well as the vital political and social issues raised by the conflict.'
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As public intellectuals academics formulate specialized knowledge to become understandable and relevant for people outside of the specialty. There are two main forms of such intellectual activity: dissemination and debating. Scientific knowledge is a cultural value in its own right and also of importance in public discourse. Due to the complexity of the challenges facing modern societies the intellectual role of individual academics and scholarly institutions is increasingly important with mass education and new media techniques expanding the public sphere. It has become more important that specialists popularize also for specialists in other fields. Challenges such as climate change or soci...
Until now insular and continental material, mostly metal-work, found in pagan Viking Age graves in Norway, has been interpreted as looted material from churches and monasteries on the British Isles and the Continent. The raiding Vikings brought these objects back to their homeland where they were often broken up and used as jewellery or got alternative functions. Looting or Missioning looks at the use and functions of these sacred objects in their original Christian contexts. Based on such an analysis the author proposes an alternative interpretation of these objects: they were brought by Christian missionaries from different parts of the British Isles and the Continent to Norway. The object...