Suchergebnisse

Land is central to Icelandic identity. It is birthright, heritage, a site
of memory and belonging; mountains and fjords are the stuff on
which Icelandic dreams are made. Land is made culture through
story and song, told at family gatherings, and sung at schools and on
hiking trips. Icelandic identity was built on this imagining, coupled
to a vision of Icelanders as an exceptional people, a Viking race. The
events of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), which exposed institutional
corruption, caused many Icelanders to doubt the Viking image.
At the same time, Iceland has been invaded by tourists. This article,
based on participant observation, a survey and interviews, argues
that one significant effect of the post-GFC foreign invasion has been
a transformation of the cultural and moral order in Iceland, away
from the boasting Viking and towards a new set of values within
which land and nature occupy an even more central place.

An accessible introduction to the sociological study of identity and belonging, this wide-ranging and engaging collection examines the interplay between self and society, and draws on case studies to explore sites of identity construction in a globalized world.

'Not overly perturbed' is a fair characterisation of the Icelandic approach to COVID-19. This is not to imply carelessness—Iceland acted decisively, and very swiftly. At the end of January, weeks before Icelanders, on ski holidays in northern Italy and Austria, brought the virus home with them (the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was of an Australian tourist who died at the hospital in Húsavík, in the north of the country, on 28 February), a virus testing regime had commenced. On 14 March, returning Icelanders were all subject to 14 days quarantine, a limit was set on the number of people who may gather together, swimming pools, gyms and other such venues were closed, restaurants remained open but tables were spaced two metres apart, schools were shut and international borders closed. Further, two economic stimulus packages, totalling ISK 290 billion (US$2.1 billion), were introduced in April, to support companies forced to close and job seekers, to provide low interest loans, and to support mental health initiatives.2 The first stage ISK 60 billion (US$ 411 million) was released in April, the second stage ISK 230 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) to be released in June 2020. By late May, after just eight positive tests in the preceding 30 days, Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir cautiously announced that the virus was under control, and Iceland is planning to reopen its borders to international tourists from 15 June. Visitors will be tested at the border, or will be permitted to enter if they bring proof of recent negative testing.