Read more
In this introductory guide, Knud Jespersen traces the process of disintegration and reduction that helped to form the modern Danish state, and the historical roots of Denmark's international position. Beginning with the Reformation in the sixteenth century, Jespersen explains how the Denmark of today was shaped by wars, territorial losses, domestic upheavals, new methods of production, and changes in thought. Focusing on the interplay between history, politics and economics, this illuminating text offers an insider's view of Danish identity formation over the last centuries.
This engaging textbook is an ideal resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students taking courses on Danish, Scandinavian or Nordic History. Concise and accessible, it will also appeal to anyone interested in gaining a clear understanding of the development of Denmark.
List of contents
Acknowledgements
Maps
Introduction: What is Denmark and Who are the Danes?
Foreign and Security Policy: From the Gatekeeper of the Baltic to a Midget State
Domestic Policy, 1500-1848: The Era of Aristocracy and Absolutism
Domestic Policy since 1848: Democracy and the Welfare State
The Church and Culture from Luther to the Present
Economic Conditions: The Old Denmark, 1500-1800
Economic Conditions: The New Denmark since 1800
The Danes: A Tribe or a Nation?
Notes
Select Bibliography
A Short Chronology
About the author
Knud J.V. Jespersen is Professor of Modern History at the University of Southern Denmark, Denmark, and Royal Historiographer to H.M. the Queen of Denmark.
Summary
In this introductory guide, Knud Jespersen traces the process of disintegration and reduction that helped to form the modern Danish state, and the historical roots of Denmark's international position. Beginning with the Reformation in the sixteenth century, Jespersen explains how the Denmark of today was shaped by wars, territorial losses, domestic upheavals, new methods of production, and changes in thought. Focusing on the interplay between history, politics and economics, this illuminating text offers an insider’s view of Danish identity formation over the last centuries.
This engaging textbook is an ideal resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students taking courses on Danish, Scandinavian or Nordic History. Concise and accessible, it will also appeal to anyone interested in gaining a clear understanding of the development of Denmark.
Additional text
Knud J. V. Jespersen’s History of Denmark, now in its third edition, is the most up-to-date comprehensive overview of Danish history available in English. Concise and readable, it is well-suited for both self-study and classroom use.
