Northern Europe, so close, so distant. This is the title of the new edition of the French magazine Hermès, published by the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). It promises very interesting insights about the Nordic region for those who can read French.
Hermès is aimed at academics and other interested readers and is published four times a year. Each issue has a theme, often based on current social issues, with different editors. This time two colleagues from the University of Gothenburg: Orla Vigsö, professor at the Department of Journalism, Media, and Communication (JMG), and Ugo Ruiz, senior lecturer at the Department of Languages and Literatures.
"For the French, their Nordic neighbors are exciting and different. Many don't know that much about the Nordic region and its people. They find it difficult to distinguish between the different countries," says Orla Vigsö, who hopes that this issue will provide the French with a more nuanced picture of Nordic societies beyond just Vikings.
From Greta to Satire
Together with other writers from the Nordic region and France, he and Ugo Ruiz share their knowledge in articles covering everything from the rise of populist parties and Greta Thunberg to Scandinavian design. Vigsö himself has written about topics such as wind turbines in Denmark and how satire has been challenged by globalization.
With his extensive research background, Vigsö has spent some time in France and is delighted that he was invited by Ugo Ruiz to be the editor for Hermès and the edition that, in French, is titled L’Europe du Nord, si proche, si lointaine.
“People’s perceptions are often based on what they heard as children or something they saw on TV or in movies. For example, how much do Swedes really know about life in southern Europe? Learning about other societies is positive, as it often leads to a better understanding of our own culture,” says Orla Vigsö.
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