Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
5-4-2022 1:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2022 3:00 PM
Subjects
History, Norse Symbology, Ethnonationalism
Student Level
Undergraduate
Abstract
In the development of nationalism, and specifically white ethnonationalism, the Norse have played an unfortunate role, and one that deserves a closer interrogation. In the larger scheme of white nationalism, those who seek to directly appropriate Norse symbology and a reconstruction of their own ideal of Norse culture are a relative minority, but they remain a minority which taints the study of Norse history. In this talk, I will examine how Norse symbology and identity has come to be appropriated by white nationalists, compare the racist perceptions of the Norse with knowable historical realities, explain the usefulness of Norse symbology to white supremacists, and determine whether the concept of ‘Vikingness’ as constructed by white supremacist groups fits the historical reality of the Norse. (Spoiler alert: it does not).
I developed this at PCC, and it was published as a paper in "Norse Code:" a small undergraduate history class anthology, advised by Prof. Terri Barnes.
This would be an adaptation to the oral presentation format, and would be especially salient to Portland State University: our mascot and symbology is almost entirely of medieval Scandinavian origin.
Addenda 3/6/22: Another possible presentation title is "Go Viks! Deconstructing Extremist Political Myth About Vikings"
Rights
© Copyright the author(s)
IN COPYRIGHT:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
DISCLAIMER:
The purpose of this statement is to help the public understand how this Item may be used. When there is a (non-standard) License or contract that governs re-use of the associated Item, this statement only summarizes the effects of some of its terms. It is not a License, and should not be used to license your Work. To license your own Work, use a License offered at https://creativecommons.org/
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/37484
Included in
Disentangling the Nazis and the Vikings
In the development of nationalism, and specifically white ethnonationalism, the Norse have played an unfortunate role, and one that deserves a closer interrogation. In the larger scheme of white nationalism, those who seek to directly appropriate Norse symbology and a reconstruction of their own ideal of Norse culture are a relative minority, but they remain a minority which taints the study of Norse history. In this talk, I will examine how Norse symbology and identity has come to be appropriated by white nationalists, compare the racist perceptions of the Norse with knowable historical realities, explain the usefulness of Norse symbology to white supremacists, and determine whether the concept of ‘Vikingness’ as constructed by white supremacist groups fits the historical reality of the Norse. (Spoiler alert: it does not).
I developed this at PCC, and it was published as a paper in "Norse Code:" a small undergraduate history class anthology, advised by Prof. Terri Barnes.
This would be an adaptation to the oral presentation format, and would be especially salient to Portland State University: our mascot and symbology is almost entirely of medieval Scandinavian origin.
Addenda 3/6/22: Another possible presentation title is "Go Viks! Deconstructing Extremist Political Myth About Vikings"