Nordic Horizons

Nordic Horizons is an informal group of Scottish professionals who want to raise the standard of knowledge and debate about life and policy in the Nordic nations. We’ve been holding public meetings in Edinburgh since 2010 so Nordic specialists can discuss how they do things with decision-makers, practitioners, MSPs, academics and the interested public  here. We produce a written summary of each meeting and nearly always have an audio recording of the main speaker(s). You can browse topics, content and voices here. And join our Facebook group to join live debate and discuss Nordic news as it happens.

 

Nordic Scotland - Graham Hogg and Alex Hobday

Hemma Bar  - 6pm May 1st 2013

Possible Orkney

Orkney sits at a strategic location within the Northern Periphery - a gateway for the Nordic region within a global context. Possible Orkney is a large group of projects at varying scales looking at how to integrate Scotland into this Nordic region through its exploitation of the shipping, renewable and tourist industries. The presentation will include the research and reasoning for Nordic Scotland's proposals on Orkney followed by the presentation of the architectural interventions planned and a manifesto for a future Orkney, and Scotland, and their integration into the Nordic region.

The meeting audio is now available. If you weren't there, Professor Iver Neuman and Anne Palm were very good at making the subject matter come alive. Sandy Miller's photos alone will make you want to join our Facebook group . Special thanks to Mona Røhne of the Royal Norwegian Consulate for her hospitality and support.

Norway is a member of NATO, Finland is not. Does that single fact produce radically different thinking about peace and security in the two nations? Or does more unite the Nordic neighbours who are both members of the Arctic Council and other alliances, both reject nuclear weapons in their waters, share outlooks on neutrality and the importance of non-military peaceful activity?

How did the experience of World War shape the outlook of these two countries in the sphere of international relations and what is the right size for their defence forces?

Defence policy in an independent Scotland was a controversial and divisive issue during 2012. Can the defence strategies of Nordic nations usefully inform both Scottish and UK debate?

And how does the international relations community regard the possibility of an independent Scotland in the context of security?

Anne Palm runs Finland’s Civil society conflict prevention network (KATU) and Iver Neuman is Professor of International Relations at London School of Economics and was senior adviser to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry. Chaired by Lesley Riddoch, writer and broadcaster.

Ticket details here.

This event , co-hosted with the Europa Institute , Edinburgh University, will explore the two faces of Nordic Security. More details of speakers and free tickets are available here. Early booking is advised.

It's official - with the help and assistance of Elaine Morrison of the UHI last week's 'Great Green Danes' was beamed around the UHI network from Edinburgh. Well done!

The notes, photos, powerpoint presentation and over 2 hours of audio from the meeting are also now available here. 

Meeting notes and audio from the Great Green Danes event will be available shortly. Dave Watson has already provided an excellent meeting report on his blog.

The sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed there were no meeting notes for the Nordic Revolutions event in December. This transcript of this cycling meeting has been located and been placed in the meeting archive to complete the documentation. However,this is also available for download here.

1. No places left - if you have a place and now can't come or if you'd like to go on waiting list contact nordichorizons@hotmail.co.uk

2. Video conference link with UHI Exec Office in Inverness - they can connect with other UHI learning centres in H&I if there's demand or move to a larger room in Ness Bank in Sneckie. For all this contact Elaine Morrison  ( elaine.morrison@uhi.ac.uk )

3. Great Scottish speakers are coming -- Drew Ratter from Shetland Islands Council on its pretty enormous Viking wind project and Martin Mathers from Scottish Power Renewables (in personal capacity) who once studied Samsoe for a dissertation.

Here are the latest designer posters for the forthcoming meeting next week!