Crime and Fantasy in Scandinavia

Scandinavian popular novels and films have seen an efflorescence in the last thirty years. In Crime and Fantasy in Scandinavia, Andrew Nestingen argues that the growth and visibility of popular culture have been at the heart of the development of heterogeneous ´publics´ in Scandinavia, in opposition to the homogenizing influence of the post-World War II welfare state.

The book provides significant insight into the changing nature of civil society under the Scandinavian welfare state through the lens of popular culture. Nestingen develops his argument through the examination of genres where the central theme is individual transgression of societal norms. Among the internationally known artists discussed are Henning Mankell, Aki Kaurismäki, Lukas Moodysson, and Lars von Trier.

Andrew Nestingen is an Assistant Professor of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington.