2023, Vol., No.31

Journal of the Scandinavian Society of Korea 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.21

pISSN : 1229-8646
https://journal.kci.go.kr/jssk

Alongside the advance of the Post-COVID era, it is demanded to build a future-oriented education system addressing multiple crises and challenges posed by late-modern transformation of the societal structure. This article explores the features and implications of the Finnish education model, which is regarded as an international example of innovation in both responding to the pandemic crisis and transitioning to a Post-COVID regime. During the late 20th Century, Finland could succeed in developing a consensual democracy, a coordinated market economy based on societal corporatism, and a Nordic-type universal welfare state. The country is now evolving into an enabling welfare state, pioneering a specific vision of ‘The Fourth Way’ of educational innovation that goes beyond neo-liberal global education reform movements. Based on the conceptual framework combining theories of enabling welfare states and educational reform 4.0, this article presents a systemic analysis of the Finnish education model, focusing on the comprehensive school reform, innovations in special education system, changes of the teacher education scheme, and new approaches towards the National Core Curriculum.

Sweden has long been an exemplary country having NHS(National Health Service) type health security system. The Swedish health security system, however, has been much changed since 1990s by the policies marketizing healthcare. The introduction of the healthcare choice system(vårdval) is a pronounced case of the market-oriented healthcare reforms. This system enables patients to choose medical institutions where they would receive treatment and register themselves there. The county councils, responsible for healthcare, then reimburse each medical institution for the medical costs incurred, according to the number of registered patients of each medical institution. Some county councils voluntarily introduced this system since 2007. Since 2010, the introduction of the system in the primary healthcare became obligatory for all county councils. The system has produced good results such as the enhanced rights of patients, the improved responsiveness of the primary care centers to patients’ demands, the increase of the number of primary care centers, and the increased diversity of healthcare providers. But bad results also have been produced such as the widening gap of healthcare accessibility between population densed areas and population thin areas, and between patients with mild cases and patients with serious cases, and the fact that patients with complex diseases can not receive well-integrated treatment as before. We can say that the healthcare choice system brought out results violating the healthcare egalitarianism, the traditional value of the Swedish healthcare, in that the patients with stronger healthcare needs came to be in worse situation. The main causes of these bad results are as follows. Firstly, the system brought out results that healthcare providers choose patients, rather than patients choose medical institutions as intended. Secondly, the principle of equal treatment for all healthcare providers made it difficult for county councils to selectively support the medical institutions in the backward areas in healthcare.

Scandinavian crime fiction has gained immense popularity since the 1990s, becoming a global phenomenon in the 2000s. Known for its unpretentious narrative style, authentic dark atmosphere, and complex characterization, Nordic Noir stands apart from its predecessors by featuring ordinary police stations and their everyday problems reflecting reality. This paper explores the origins of the term “Nordic Noir” and delves into its defining features. The novel “Roseanna,” written by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö in 1965, played a pivotal role in shaping the future of Nordic Noir and influencing subsequent writers. The study focuses on the winners of the Glass Key Award, an annual literature award given to a Nordic crime novel, compiling statistics on the gender of narrators, assailants, and victims. A character tree is used to analyze the relationships among the characters. Traditionally portrayed as victims, female characters have now become more diverse in terms of their professions and roles within Nordic Noir narratives. In the 2000s, stories led by female protagonists became increasingly common, while minors, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ characters also started appearing as victims. However, male characters still dominate the role of assailants. Notably, every male victim has a connection to their assailant, providing a motive for their elimination. In contrast, female victims are often targeted by strangers or passersby encountered during their daily routines. The evolution of female characters in Nordic Noir, from the silent “Roseanna” to the resilient Lisbeth Salander and beyond, not only reflects the contemporary Nordic society but also spearheads the changing landscape of crime fiction. While female characters were initially limited to victim roles, they have now gained more agency and representation, showcasing a broader range of experiences and occupations. However, the prevalence of male assailants highlights persistent gender imbalances. Understanding these shifts and trends allows for a deeper exploration of the complexities within Nordic Noir and its impact on contemporary crime literature.