New collaborative Nordic book on refugees wins award
Welcome to the history books! With this book—co-written by, among others, former fellow at the Nordic Humanities Center, Heidi Vad Jønsson—clear attention is drawn to overlooked stories of forced migrants and refugees in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Nordic collaboration from start to finish The book, titled Forced Migrants in Nordic History, has been created through the efforts of editors from all five Nordic countries. At the University of Southern Denmark, Associate Professor of History Heidi Vad Jønsson has taken on the task.
Throughout her research, she has focused in particular on immigration and on how refugees have been integrated—or attempted to be integrated—into the Danish welfare state.
- In the book, we have examined how this group has been described by scholars in the Nordic countries, and how they have been included—or excluded—in national narratives, says Heidi Vad Jønsson.
Stories about “us” and “we”
The book also includes contributions from 12 researchers, who explore the lived realities of refugees in different periods across the Nordic countries.
And why is this so important?
- If we are serious about people—including those who have come to our countries from the outside—being part of the community, then we must also write their history and allow them to be included in stories about ‘us’ and ‘we.’ Otherwise, it is difficult to feel like a full member of society, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails, says Heidi Vad Jønsson.
Open access – free to read
The award was presented on 13 August 2025 at the Nordic Historians’ Conference, held at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik (Háskóli Íslands).
Miika Tervonen, who was a guest fellow at the Nordic Humanities Center in 2024 and one of the book’s editors, accepted the prize.
The book Forced Migrants in Nordic History is available via open access here: Free access to the book.