A new interdisciplinary research collaboration related to World War II launched at the Giellagas Institute
Project Title: Nordic Crossroads: War, Memory, and Crisis Preparedness in the Legacies of WWII (NORCROSS)
Project Description: This research initiative brings together scholars from Finland, Norway, and Sweden to examine war-related history in the Arctic through a transnational and interdisciplinary lens. The project seeks to deepen the understanding of how WWII developments unfolded across the Nordic region, highlighting both shared experiences and national specificities.
By integrating perspectives from history, cultural and religious studies, political science, literature, and sociology, the project explores the experiences of various ethnic, social and religious groups. Studies focus on interconnected themes such as forced migration and its management, resistance, resilience, the role of civil society, memory cultures, and intergenerational trauma. The project also investigates silences and moral dilemmas, the impact of war on health, economy, and environment, and the processes of reconstruction and solidarity.
The project not only analyzes the past but also establishes a link to present-day challenges by examining how historical experiences and cultural narratives inform contemporary crisis preparedness in the Nordic countries. By fostering cross-national collaboration, the initiative provides new insights into the enduring legacies of war and their relevance for strengthening resilience in today’s societies.
Project team:
Outi Autti, Giellagas Institute, University of Oulu
Hanna-Leena Määttä, Languages and literature, University of Oulu
Anniina Koivurova, Department of Art and Design, University of Lapland
Erva Niittyvuopio, Giellagas Institute, University of Oulu
Nina Planting Mølmann, The Museum of Reconstruction, Norway
Marianne Neerland Soleim, Department of Archaeology, History, Religious Studies and Theology, the Arctic University of Norway
Ida Olenius, Department of Theology, University of Uppsala
Moa Hanson, Department of History, University of Uppsala