A parochial internationalization: Surveying the power and evolution of Nordic International Relations scholarship

Abstract

Nordic International Relations (IR) scholarship is marked by a “parochial internationalization” that balances proximity to the dominant American mainstream with an independent scholarly identity. This article examines the sociological features of the “Nordic IR” strategy—focusing on institutional, intellectual, and policy orientations—by presenting data from the Teaching, Research, and International Policy (TRIP) surveys conducted in 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2024. Institutionally, Nordic IR has undergone significant transformations, including a decline in regional conferences, shifts in publishing patterns toward Anglo-American outlets, and increasing engagement with European and global academic networks. Yet, it still retains a regional identity and recognition structure, and its scholars are largely homegrown, which reinforces the parochialism. Intellectually, Nordic IR generally leans post-positivist and constructivist in the broader global picture, but there are also intra-Nordic differences. Norway is more positivist and quantitatively inclined than Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Finally, in terms of policy orientation, we find Nordic IR to also be somewhat parochial, for example, by geographically studying their immediate proximity, although we identify a shift from Western Europe toward Russia, the Arctic, and Central and Eastern Europe. Overall, we argue that Nordic IR scholars today have an opportunity to re-invent the regional community and diversify its parochial internationalization strategy.