All episodes

Once a year, the Roskilde Festival becomes the third largest city in the Denmark. It is a celebration of community, music and social progressiveness. The festival aims for sustainability and is based on a legendary volunteer culture. But it is also a place of excess. In no other country in Europe young people start drinking so much alcohol and at a very early age. How does this festival contribute to this drinking culture? And does the drinking stop with ageing?

Danes lead nearly all happiness surveys since the 70ies. What is the secret to their happiness? Or is it a myth? Author Michael Booth explains why hygge is an exaggeration, which social codes define the Danish mentality and what Lutheranism has to do with this.

How the public and political debate oversees the success stories of Danes with ethnic minority background and how a narrow narrative of Danish citizenship contributes to this. A talk with the sociologist Aydin Soei about counter-citizenship and the success stories nobody tells.

They paved the way of the Danish society as it is today: Scandinavian women writers and painters from the end of the 19th century beginning of 20th century. Author Sara Alfort explains, what we can learn from them even today.

Denmark is considered a society with great standards of gender equality and social welfare. Yet it is also known for its rigid immigration politics and high taxes. Media reports tend to focus on either the shiny or the excluding side only. There is rarely a holistic approach.
This podcast aims to find nuances in between the extremes. Throughout (personal) stories my guests and me are giving insights into the complexity and diversity in Denmark besides abstract figures and short-lived travel books.