NordWel workshop

Time: 18th November 2008, 12.15-17.00
Place: University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense
“Mødelokale 6" (Department of History & Civilization)

For a long time scholars have debated citizenship, collective identity and nationalism in the context of the welfare state. However, a number of questions regarding these core elements of the welfare state have not been clarified so far. This research deficit seems to concern at least four aspects. First, despite the recent proliferation of research on citizenship, the link between models of citizenship and the development of welfare state institutions has not been sufficiently explored. A second research deficit refers to the question of whether the conceptual link between citizenship and collective identity can be regarded as non-coincidental or linear in the framework of the welfare state. A third deficit concerns the fact that most studies assume a holistic character of welfare state nationalism and regard it as a consistent ideological phenomenon. Besides, little has been made to explore the possible interaction between citizenship, collective identity and nationalism in the context of the welfare state.  

The aim of this one-day workshop is to discuss theoretical and empirical findings concerning the relationship between different forms of citizenship, collective identity and nationalism and the welfare state, also in view of the process of European integration. This will include issues such as: How should we conceptualize welfare state nationalism? What is the relationship between the process of European integration and welfare state nationalism? Which models of citizenship and, consequently, what forms of collective identity favour a strengthening of the welfare state? What forms of citizenship favour welfare state nationalism? Is collective identity analytically differentiable from citizenship?

Programme:

Pauli Kettunen (University of Helsinki): Welfare Nationalism and the Making of Competitive ‘Us’ in Europe

Ireneusz Paweł Karolewski (University of Potsdam): Citizenship, collective identity and welfare in Europe

Urban Lundberg (Institute for Future Studies): Sweden - A Model in Dispute: Three Approaches to the History of Swedish Welfare

Uffe Østergård (CBS): Is the welfare state the highest stage of the nation state?

Dorrotya Szikra (ELTE University Budapest): Welfare state nationalism in Eastern Europe

Andrzej Marcin Suszycki (Humboldt University Berlin & SDU): Conceptualizing welfare state nationalism in view of European integration

For more information: Guest researcher Andrzej Marcin Suszycki, Center for Welfare State Research. Email: suszycki@uni-potsdam.de