The project aims to analyze the significance of Protestantism for the aesthetics of Nordic
cultures. The Reformation was established in the Nordic countries statewide within a few
decades and was institutionalized as the state church either until now or until very recently. The
fundamental thesis is that the Reformation was not only one of the most important political
factors in the political, social, and ecclesiastical history of Scandinavia, but that it had also a deep
impact on cultural life in all its forms until today. These areas include literature, the visual arts,
music, both high and popular culture, cultural practices and performances. The repercussions
concern content (presence of Christian inter-texts) and form: We might detect a predilection for
simplicity, logocentrism, purism, worldliness as obligation, tension between individualism and
collectivism and, consequently, a tendency to prefer aesthetic forms as subjective poetry,
autobiography, and engaged literature. These dynamics are not yet researched sufficiently. The
EUCOR network of Scandinavian Studies disposes of expertise to pilot a collective research
project that covers the period from the Reformation until today. The seed money is intended to
establish the necessary international collaborations, to structure the project and to apply for
substantial funding. A preparatory international workshop will be organized in Strasbourg in
November 2018, which will be open to students of all three universities and integrated into their
curriculum.