Conference: greenland - denmark 1721 - 2021

The conference will take place in Copenhagen. Due to the COVID-19 situation, the conference is being held as a hybrid event, with both physical and online participation. To limit the number of physical participants, the public is invited to stream the conference sessions via zoom. Participation is free, although registration is mandatory. Most panels and discussions will proceed in English, however, some interventions will be in Scandinavian languages.

300 years – coonisation, conflict and cooperation

In 2021, Greenland and Denmark can look back on 300 years of colonisation, resistance, cultural encounters, cooperation and conflict. This provides the opportunity to pause for thought and analyse these relationships from new perspectives. The conference manifests itself as a platform for panels, where researchers will, among other things, shed new light on history writing, business developments, social conditions, security policies, art and identity – from 1721 to date. The organisers have especially encouraged young researchers to present.

“New research points to a tendency for Denmark to see itself as “the good coloniser” compared to other countries. This has created some fixed roles in colonial and post-colonial relations that have remained in place to this day”.

- Lill Rastad Bjørst, Associate Professor AAU.

“In 1921, the 200th anniversary was marked by pure self-congratulation, as Denmark deemed itself the world's best colonial power. It is clear that the 300th anniversary will certainly be far more self-reflective. This is well underway in Greenland. We hope that our conference can help make reflection in Denmark as qualified as possible”.

- Ulrik Pram Gad, Senior Researcher, DIIS.

The programme for the conference includes both a large number of new voices and well-established experts on various aspects of the Greenlandic-Danish relationship, as well as broader relations with the international community. Link to conference programme.

As a prelude to the conference, a number of appetisers based on historical events and personalities have been prepared, all of which illuminate the Greenland-Denmark relationship. Contact information for relevant researchers that offer expertise and nuance to the content can be found below each text. Link to the texts.

Kontakt

• Lill Rastad Bjørst, Associate Professor, Department of Culture and Learning, Aalborg University, rastad@hum.aau.dk, phone +45 5355 2095.
   
• Ulrik Pram Gad, DIIS – Danish Institute for International Studies: ulpg@diis.dk, phone +45 6088 5559.
   
• Questions regarding participation and news updates: Sophie Rud: ansoru@hum.aau.dk

Conference website