Denmark 2018

The 5th Nordic Conference for Rural Research ‘Challenged ruralities: Nordic welfare states under pressure’ took place in Denmark, May 14-16th 2018. The conference venue was this time Vingsted Conference Centre close to the international airport of Billund.

Challenged ruralities: Nordic welfare states under pressure

In recent years, the Nordic welfare states have been under pressure due to globalization, neoliberalism, the financial crisis, climate change, migration, etc. Although the welfare states still form the backbone of the Nordic countries and still secure democracy, the former division of labor between the state, market and civil society is no longer functioning as it once did. In many ways, the welfare states seem to have withdrawn, been transformed or become centralized with the responsibility for performing many functions being given to the private sector or civic societies. This is true for rural areas, in particular, where a range of municipal and public reforms have had a significant and rapid impact on public services and enlarged distances to citizens.

The fifth Nordic Rural Research Conference will explore the extent to which the changes we are witnessing today will influence rural areas and rural research in the Nordic countries.