Publikationer

Research | Forskning

Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands have in common their history as Danish dependencies within a historically and geographically coherent region. The complex aftermaths of Denmark’s sovereignty over its North Atlantic territories and their ongoing nation building processes lie at the core of th… Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands have in common their history as Danish dependencies within a historically and geographically coherent region. The complex aftermaths of Denmark’s sovereignty over its North Atlantic territories and their ongoing nation building processes lie at the core of this book. Today, we are witnessing region building processes beyond bilateral links to Denmark. How do the countries position themselves, individually and collectively, vis-à-vis the European metropolitan centres, a larger transcontinental North Atlantic region, the 'hot' Arctic, and global histories of colonialism and decolonisation? By examining the region from cultural, literary, historical, political, anthropological and linguistic perspectives, the articles in this book shed light on Nordic colonialism and its understanding as 'exceptional', and challenge and modify established notions of postcolonialism. Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands are shown to be both the (former) subjects as well as the producers of cultural hierarchisations in an entangled world. Læs mere

Communication | Formidling

Seit 2009 ist Grönland selbstverwaltete Nation im dänischen Königreich. Die jüngsten Parlamentswahlen standen im Zeichen eines Konflikts zwischen Zentrum und Peripherie.

Research | Forskning - peer review

In Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, there have been a significant number of musical events in recent years that have been called ‘underground’. These have formed an underground scene that offered a cosmopolitan alternative to established ‘greenlandificated’ popular music. This paper accounts for the… In Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, there have been a significant number of musical events in recent years that have been called ‘underground’. These have formed an underground scene that offered a cosmopolitan alternative to established ‘greenlandificated’ popular music. This paper accounts for the building of this underground scene by Nuuk youth, and asks why these young people valued musical change informed by a cosmopolitan outlook, while at the same time holding firmly to the conviction that their activities were a part of the dominant Greenlandic nation-building project. Social agents, which played key roles in building the Nuuk underground scene, described their activities as attempts to come to terms with a history in which Greenland has been perceived as a subaltern nation. This enquiry explains the nationalist logic behind a concern with performing similarity with Western nations in the Nuuk underground scene, as opposed to the more widespread romantic nationalist logic concerned with expressing a distinguishable national character. This further leads to an expansion of a position of cosmopolitan nationalism. Læs mere

Research | Forskning - peer review

The chapter deals with self-conceptions of exceptionalism in the United States and in Northern Europe. The notion that one nation, one region or one group is exceptional, conflicts with globalization theory. Because of migrating people, goods and ideas, the world is understood to become more homoge… The chapter deals with self-conceptions of exceptionalism in the United States and in Northern Europe. The notion that one nation, one region or one group is exceptional, conflicts with globalization theory. Because of migrating people, goods and ideas, the world is understood to become more homogeneous (Appadurai 2008; Comaroff & Comaroff 2012). However, globalization incorporates a globalization of risks, conflict (Beck 2007) and uncertainty (Bauman 2000), too. As contemporary Western societies are increasingly characterized by crisis and insecurity, there appears to emerge a need to highlight the unique features of the "Self". Phrases like »American Exceptionalism« and »Nordic Exceptionalism« have become common in political discourses from the 2000s, and are at once subject to a critical negotiation within popular culture, literature and film. In the following discussion, I will show how the American and the Scandinavian self-conceptions of exceptionalism iare interdependent. The analysis starts in America with an examination of a satirical television show by American stand-up comedian, Wyatt Cenac. Together with Jonathan Franzen’s novel "Freedom", it serves as an example of artistic approaches to a discursive strategy, which uses images of Scandinavia as a category of distinction in order to consolidate the libertarian idea of »American Exceptionalism«. The second part of the chapter concerns Scandinavian visual arts’ current reevaluation of the narratives, which form the basis for notions of »Nordic Exceptionalism«. Here, I will demonstrate how Susanne Bier’s feature films "Efter Brylluppet" (»After the Wedding«) and "Hævnen" (»In a Better World«) contribute to the critical negotiation of a Nordic self-conception, characterized by altruism and ethical and moral superiority. Læs mere

Research | Forskning - peer review

Socialforskningen i Grønland har gennem årtier dokumenteret sociale problemer. Populært sagt har socialforskningen i Grønland indtil for nylig kun bestået af beskrivende, kvantitativ elendighedsforskning. Der eksisterer således (modsat fx socialforskning med canadisk inuit) stort set ikke nogen kval… Socialforskningen i Grønland har gennem årtier dokumenteret sociale problemer. Populært sagt har socialforskningen i Grønland indtil for nylig kun bestået af beskrivende, kvantitativ elendighedsforskning. Der eksisterer således (modsat fx socialforskning med canadisk inuit) stort set ikke nogen kvalitativ eller deltagerorienteret forskning om vilkår for indsatser og praksis i forhold til at håndtere de sociale udfordringer. Der har således manglet sociologisk og handlingsorienteret praksisviden, der kan understøtte professionel og organisatorisk kapacitetsopbygning i det socialpolitiske felt. Denne artikel handler om empowerment og aktionsforskning med socialarbejdere i Grønland og bygger på Steven Arnfjords ph.d. projekt fra 2014. Læs mere

Research | Forskning

Ph.d.-projektet er sagt med en kort sætning: - et deltagende aktionsforskningsprojekt om socialrådgiverprofessionens muligheder og forudsætninger for at lave socialt arbejde samt deres positionering i det socialpolitiske felt. I projektet arbejdes der med socialrådgiverprofessionens faglige vilkår.… Ph.d.-projektet er sagt med en kort sætning: - et deltagende aktionsforskningsprojekt om socialrådgiverprofessionens muligheder og forudsætninger for at lave socialt arbejde samt deres positionering i det socialpolitiske felt. I projektet arbejdes der med socialrådgiverprofessionens faglige vilkår. Faglighed indbefatter dels socialrådgivernes mulighed for at arbejde fagligt og dels deres muligheder for at organisere sig som en profession, hvor professionsbegrebet her anvendes bredt. Vi har ingen tidligere professionsstudier, som giver et indblik i arbejdsgrundlaget for at de store velfærdsprofessioner (socialrådgivere, skolelærer, pædagoger og sygeplejesker). Dermed eksisterer der et manglende indblik i, hvilken faglig og organisatorisk kapacitet velfærdssamfundet har i forhold til den omfattende mængde af sociale udfordringer, som vi står overfor. Projektet er undervejs blevet todelt i et etnografisk- og delvist deltagerorienteret studie og i et deltagende aktionsforskningsstudie om en begyndende landsdækkende faglig organisering af socialrådgivere. Projektets første del var et etnografisk feltarbejde med 15 socialrådgivere i Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq’s afdeling for børn- og familier. Det var landets største. Socialrådgiverne deltog, forud for en række møder, i kvalitative interviews, observationer, en temadag om anerkendelse, to fokusgrupper og et fremtidsværksted. Analyserne fra denne første del viste tegn på en engageret men disorganiseret og disempoweret profession. Selvom om planen hos mig oprindeligt var at skride direkte til empowerment-tiltag var det nødvendigt med en konkret analyse, en baseline, som kunne fremskrive tingenes tilstand. Der var tale om en gruppe socialrådgivere, som beskrev kaotiske tilstande i sagsbehandlingen af børnesager, en høj personaleomsætning, flere indikatorer på stress og en generel mangel på anerkendelse fra deres ledelse og fra de tværfaglige netværk. Det blev vurderet, at det ville være vanskeligt alene at fokusere på problemløsningsmetoder i afdelingen da flere af problematikkerne berørte temaer, som hørte til på et overordnet fagligt organisatorisk (meso) niveau. Det etnografiske feltarbejde blev konkluderet med en artikel, hvor jeg fremstillede de ovenstående problematikker og foreslog kommende aktiviteter omkring øget faglig organisering og fokus på empowerment af socialrådgiverprofessionen som et overordnet tiltag. Socialrådgiverne er den eneste af de fire velfærdsprofessioner, som for tiden ikke er fagligt organiseret med egen forhandlingsret. Projektets anden del er en operationalisering af disse forslag. Der blev indledt et samarbejde med en gruppe socialrådgivere, som var gået sammen om at danne en landsdækkende socialrådgiverforening NIISIP (Nunatsinni Inunnik Isumaginninermi Siunnersortit Ilinniarsimasut Peqatigiiffiat). Samarbejdet har været efter alle kunstens regler i deltagende aktionsforskning. Indledningsvist spurgte jeg "Er der noget I vil kunne bruge mig til?" Efterfølgende har vi holdt en række koordinationsmøder, hvor jeg har fungeret dels som facilitator, som naiv spørger og som ekspert. Foreningen havde ambitioner om at øge deres medlemstal og opnå selvstændig forhandlingsret samt at være en tydelig stemme i den socialpolitiske debat, som har været ført fra et politisk synspunkt, et NGO synspunkt og et civilsamfundssynspunkt men kun i et meget begrænset omfang fra et fagligt perspektiv. Gennem aktionsforskningsforløbet har foreningen fået formuleret fem mærkesager. De har fået en hjemmeside, været i medierne og har fået udvidet deres medlemstal fra 8 til 43. Vi har gennem bestyrelsesmedlemmerne fået indblik i, hvor mange socialrådgiver-stillinger der er på landsbasis (Estimatet er lige under 100. Det besværliggøres ved, at mange stillinger er besat af folk med en kontoruddannelse). I aktionsforskningsprojekter vil det være illoyalt overfor en kritisk aktionsforskningsepistemologi at konkludere ud fra en deduktiv argumentationslogik. Projektets konklusioner kommer derfor til at dreje som om beskrivelser af de empowerment-processer og den aktion, som der er dokumentation for. Når aktionsforskningsprocessen i sin epistemologi er ufærdig skyldes det en konstant bevægelse mod ny erkendelse. Denne bevægelse vil i projektets analyse blive til refleksioner over, hvorledes projektets teoretiske udgangspunkt, som i overvejende grad er sociologisk marxisme, har bidraget analytisk til at realisere det metodiske arbejde med praksis for at forandre praksis. Konkluderende har projektet bidraget på tre niveauer: Det videnskabelige som er aktionsforskning, det praktiske som er socialrådgiverprofessionen og det socialpolitiske niveau. Aktionsforskningen har målrettet fokuseret på forandrings- og frigørende processer. Det har ført til, at der i forskningsforløbet er arbejdet med empowerment på et vertikalt og et horisontalt niveau. Socialrådgiverne har gennem forskningssamarbejdet fået styrket deres muligheder for at øge organiseringen af det socialfaglige arbejde. Det har skabt forandringsprocesser på et demokratisk grundlag. Endvidere har dette bidraget til en grad af tillid til forskningsprocessen som kan føre til øget forskning i fremtiden. Det socialpolitiske niveau kan i sidste ende blive styrket positivt ved at modtage indlæg fra en bedre organiseret aktør, som kan indgå i debatten om udviklingen af fremtidens velfærdssamfund. Læs mere

Communication | Formidling

Artiklen formidler et interview med den tidligere økonoma ved Qaqortoq Sygehus, Lena P. Fisker, som indførte Nyt Nordisk Køkken for Mange. Det betød sundere, overvejende økologisk, og mere velsmagende mad til patienterne, brug af lokale råvarer og et meningsfuldt arbejde for de ansatte i køkkenet -… Artiklen formidler et interview med den tidligere økonoma ved Qaqortoq Sygehus, Lena P. Fisker, som indførte Nyt Nordisk Køkken for Mange. Det betød sundere, overvejende økologisk, og mere velsmagende mad til patienterne, brug af lokale råvarer og et meningsfuldt arbejde for de ansatte i køkkenet - inden for de økonomiske rammer. Læs mere

Research | Forskning - peer review

Artiklen fremlægger en analyse af læring i et fredspsykologisk undervisningsforløb i Mexico som en del af opbygning af demokratiske og social resiliente læringsmiljøer fra børnehave til universitet.

Research | Forskning - peer review

The microbial abundance and diversity in snow on ice floes at three sites near the North Pole was assessed using quantitative PCR and 454 pyrosequencing. Abundance of 16S rRNA genes in the samples ranged between 43 and 248 gene copies per millilitre of melted snow. A total of 291,331 sequences were… The microbial abundance and diversity in snow on ice floes at three sites near the North Pole was assessed using quantitative PCR and 454 pyrosequencing. Abundance of 16S rRNA genes in the samples ranged between 43 and 248 gene copies per millilitre of melted snow. A total of 291,331 sequences were obtained through 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes, resulting in 984 OTUs at 97 % identity. Two sites were dominated by Cyanobacteria (72 and 61 %, respectively), including chloroplasts. The third site differed by consisting of 95 % Proteobacteria. Principal component analysis showed that the three sites clustered together when compared to the underlying environments of sea ice and ocean water. The Shannon indices ranged from 2.226 to 3.758, and the Chao1 indices showed species richness between 293 and 353 for the three samples. The relatively low abundances and diversity found in the samples indicate a lower rate of microbial input to this snow habitat compared to snow in the proximity of terrestrial and anthropogenic sources of microorganisms. The differences in species composition and diversity between the sites show that apparently similar snow habitats contain a large variation in biodiversity, although the differences were smaller than the differences to the underlying environment. The results support the idea that a globally distributed community exists in snow and that the global snow community can in part be attributed to microbial input from the atmosphere. Læs mere

Research | Forskning - peer review

This paper is part of a longitudinal development project. We try to comprehend the learning experience of nursing students during their first clinical study course, aiming to identify how and what nursing students learn to qualify the support of clinical supervisors and educators. The methology of t… This paper is part of a longitudinal development project. We try to comprehend the learning experience of nursing students during their first clinical study course, aiming to identify how and what nursing students learn to qualify the support of clinical supervisors and educators. The methology of the project is qualitative, inspired by the thoughts of Michael Eraut on workplace learning. Seen from the workplace perspective, learning seems to be oriented toward the situations facing the students, rather than toward fabricated study methods. The learning of nursing students seems to be oriented toward socializing into the hierarchy of the clinic, toward the progression from being a novice to becoming an advanced beginner, overcoming overwhelming experiences. A socialization supported by newly educated nurses who can still express their practice, or supported by their private relations. When the new nursing students are required to plan adequate nursing, this is founded on anatomic and physiological knowledge at a basic level. The conclusion is that learning during the first clinical study course seems to be oriented toward how do we do things here? The learning seems informal and not based on best evident practice. Læs mere

Research | Forskning - peer review

The literature on pre-electoral coalitions (PECs) still relies heavily on comparative statics to gauge whether a PEC is likely to form and/or its effects on government formation. However, less is known about the behavioural dynamics of PECs. The dynamics of the recent 2009 PEC between the Socialist… The literature on pre-electoral coalitions (PECs) still relies heavily on comparative statics to gauge whether a PEC is likely to form and/or its effects on government formation. However, less is known about the behavioural dynamics of PECs. The dynamics of the recent 2009 PEC between the Socialist People's Party and the Social Democrats in Denmark are assessed. Elaborating on the signalling hypothesis, it is argued that coalition members over time must show their ability to vote together in parliament in order to establish a credible commitment. Empirical support is found for this take on the signalling thesis. It was also found that the distance between the parties narrows before the formulation of the PEC, and distinct phases in the process are pointed to, which the authors coin ‘friendship’, ‘courting’, and ‘engagement’. Finally, alternative explanations are assessed and the question of which party of the PEC would have to change voting patterns in the inter-party coordination process in order to become 'office-fit' is addressed. It is concluded that PECs have a systematic effect on the members' parliamentary voting behaviour and that they serve as a preparatory signalling device for opposition parties with office ambitions. Læs mere