The Nordic countries, though modest in size, hold a firm place in global research – including in media and communication. Remarkably productive, your work undoubtedly shapes the field far beyond national borders and the Nordic region. Yet amid the daily demands of proposals, publications, and conferences, there’s rarely time – or inclination – to reflect on the impact of one’s own work. For some of you, it may also be a matter of humility. So, we turned to your international colleagues and asked: How do they see the contribution of Nordic communication and media researchers? Here is the first glimpse into what they had to say.
Josef Trappel, Professor of Media Policy and Media Economics and Head of the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Salzburg, Austria
“Nordic media and communication research is a real role model for communication studies across the continent and in general. There is so much empirical evidence, combined with expert knowledge about the past, the present, and the (digital) future, resulting in high-end research that is relevant, timely, and important in shaping the public communication landscape in all the countries concerned. Continental Europe would be well advised to follow the example of the Nordic countries in establishing research databases and the funding infrastructure which is available there. Even application and selection processes for research funds are so well planned and executed that it appears that indeed the best projects receive funding, which is not a given in other research contexts. At the far end, Nordicom is an impressive publisher at all levels, disseminating findings throughout the Nordic region and far beyond. Its open access policy is outstanding and recognizes the need to use research and publication money in the most efficient and appropriate way”.
Rodney Benson, Professor in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication, with a cross appointment in the Department of Sociology, at New York University
“Given the relatively small population of the region, Nordic media and communication scholars have an outsized influence and impact. When I see that the author of a book or article is from one of the Nordic countries, I expect that the quality will be very, very high. In my experience, Nordic-based research is almost always theoretically sophisticated and methodologically innovative and rigorous. In collaborative projects, Nordic-based scholars are very professional and disciplined, with a deep commitment to research excellence. I can’t claim to speak for our entire sprawling discipline, but I think it’s indisputable that some of the major contributions in recent years in political communication, journalism studies, comparative media systems, public service media, media ownership, and cultural production and reception (especially around the theories and methods of Pierre Bourdieu) have been generated in part or whole by Nordic-based scholars. At the risk of leaving anyone out, I won’t name names, but I have had wonderful experiences engaging with scholars at universities in Bergen, Oslo, Gothenburg, Karlstad, Stockholm, Uppsala, Copenhagen, Roskilde, and Helsinki, among others”.
In response to a question about differences between Nordic and international approaches to media and communication research, he observes the following: “The ‘Nordic approach’, if we can speak of such a thing, is to my mind, very internationally oriented, so it’s hard for me to accept such a dichotomy. Some portion of this research is focused on comparisons within the Nordic region, just as much of North American research is internally focused. Like other Western or Northern traditions of research, Nordic scholarship can still do much more to engage with the Global South. But, in general in my experience, for example in critical research on media and migration, Nordic scholars have been admirably reflexive and open to new theories and approaches from across the globe”.
Alessandro Gandini, Associate Professor at the Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Milan, Italy
“I think Nordic media and communication research is best known for its strong structural approach, theoretical grounding, and critical perspectives, marked by a commitment to public interest. In particular, I like its democratic, public service, and policy orientation, which emphasizes media’s role in society, aligning with the region’s strong tradition of welfare state policies. Recent works by, for instance, Stine Lomborg and Anne Kaun are landmark examples of this aspect. More recently I have also come to appreciate how Nordic research has critically examined issues of data surveillance, privacy, and algorithmic governance and infrastructures, through the work of scholars such as Minna Ruckenstein and Laura Savolainen. This research provides key insights into algorithmic transparency and platform regulation. Also the works of Susanna Paasonen in digital media cultures represent an excellence of Nordic research across the world. Lastly, of course, the emergent work on digital disconnection is rapidly becoming central in digital media research, again thanks to the works of researchers such as Stine Lomborg, Trine Syvertsen, Karin Fast, and André Jansson“.
Tales Tomaz, Assistant Professor Division Media Politics and Media Economics, University of Salzburg, Austria
“I see research on Nordic media and communication as a serious and competent effort, which is a reference to all of us in Europe. The Nordic media have performed along the years quite well in many aspects that are currently a challenge in other countries, for example, misinformation, and this stream of research helps us understand why this happens and what is transferable to other contexts. But also Nordic media and communication research sheds light on things that are less visible, but still crucial, such as the risks of the current model of ownership and governance of digital infrastructures”.