What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
Cofruition
Danish culture can be pretty confusing, especially if you are not from Denmark.
This podcast is on a mission to resolve cultural confusion in the country, and help anyone understand how people in this unique country think and behave.
Co-hosts Sam Floy (British podcaster, "The Outsider") and Josefine Volqvartz (Danish TV journalist, "The Insider") speak to experts and members of the public to understand and explain why something so normal in Danish culture is confusing to outsiders.
Rather than simply point fun, or say something like "Danes have an ironic sense of humour" we go deep, by speaking to experts to explain why.
Importantly, this show is as much for Danes as it is non-Danes.
What The Denmark is an educational, entertaining and inclusive show where we take a curious look at things that seem normal in Denmark, and get to the bottom of why.
The show is aimed at everyone with a connection to Denmark, and people around the world looking to learn more about the happiest country in the world.
If you've ever felt that you want to understand more about Denmark and Danish culture, then this is the podcast for you!
Learn more at https://www.whatthedenmark.com/
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Top 10 What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Little land: how Denmark's history defines the nation today
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
11/29/22 • 36 min
It seems that one of the defining characteristics of being Danish is to feel you are a member of a small nation.
During the Viking and Middle Age periods, Denmark was a relative superpower, with territory spanning modern day Norway, south Sweden and northern Germany.
A series of failed military campaigns during the 1800s however meant that much of this land was lost, and my the 1860s, only a fraction was left.
Faced with a crisis, the remaining Danish population had to define what it now meant to be Danish.
They could no longer rely on the narrative that Danes were great warriors (after such humiliating losses on the battlefield) and so instead had to define what it meant to be Danish.
The result? A constitution and general psyche premised on tolerance, equality and co-operation.
To explore this story, and what this means for modern day Denmark, we speak with critical historian Asser Amdisen (who was behind this viral video of explaining the whole of Danish History in (almost) 1 minute).
He also brings in a critical view of Danish society today: saying how Danes think they are better than the stories they tell themselves.
Sam and Josefine discuss these points, and also bring in anecdotes of their own, such as the story of the Danish Protest Pig (pictured) that acted as a symbol of Danish resistance for the population when living under Prussian rule.
If you're interested in learning about Denmark's past, and how this influences the present day, then we hope this episode helps!
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This episode is sponsored by Talent to Denmark's "State of Denmark" campaign.
Denmark is actively looking to attract international talent to move to the country. If you're interested to learn more about jobs in (one of) the happiest countries in the world, head to www.state-of-denmark.com/wtd
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You can also learn more about What The Denmark on our website, Facebook and Instagram @whatthedenmark
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Danish etiquette: "ignoring people is polite here"
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
11/04/21 • 45 min
Danish culture is premised on various values such as trust, equality and respect for privacy.
Whilst this has many virtues, from an outsider perspective, this can also appear to play out in scenarios where Danes come across as... well, a bit rude.
For example, it's not natural for Danish people to hold the door open for each other, or to offer help for someone struggling to take a baby stroller off a train.
In this episode Sam and Josefine are joined by Danish anthropologist Dennis Nørmark.
We talk about a whole range of scenarios in Danish culture that can seem perplexing to outsiders, but begin to make sense when viewed through the Danish prism (for example, buying your own birthday cake on your birthday?!)
We discuss various other things such as:
- How whether cultures seem cold/ rude is linked to the sense of privacy
- How Denmark (and Scandinavian countries) are in fact living a sort of extreme individualism
- Why Danish people won't instinctively help people struggling in public
- How Danes view specific reciprocity vs generalised reciprocity in other cultures
- How the trust in Denmark means there's not the need to "get to know" people you do business with
- How the smiley face is the Danish word for please
- Giving and receiving gifts
- The fear (or not) of being laughed at
You can learn more about Dennis' work at: https://dennisnormark.dk/
Thanks to Hotel Mayfair in Central Copenhagen for hosting us for the recording. You can get 25% off your stay by using the code WTD at checkout
Learn more about What The Denmark via: www.whatthedenmark.com and @whatthedenmark on Instagram
Dating Danes: learning the (missing?) language of love in Denmark
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
01/18/23 • 49 min
For a culture that is normally so practical and matter-of-fact (see Separate Duvets), Danes seem to find it surprisingly difficult to talk about relationships.
Compared with other cultures, it’s rare in Denmark to ask someone out on a date in person (unless drunk) and there’s often missing vocabulary around defining what relationships are (there’s no direct translation for “dating”).
All this means that non-Danes (and to some extent, Danes) can really struggle with navigating the world of relationships in Denmark.
In this episode we seek to explore why, and offer advice on what to do!
Sam and Josefine are joined in the studio by Line Kirsten Nikolajsen, a radio presenter at DR (the Danish national broadcaster) who used to present Giftekniv, a show all about helping young people in the world of dating.
In the episode we cover:
- Advice on how to approach a Danish person you think looks hot
- How to do a first date in Denmark
- A warning on saying “I love you” to a Dane
- Differences between heterosexual and homosexual relationships
- The gender (in)equality in Danish relationships
- Danes (perhaps) being more comfortable dating friends than strangers
- Experiences dating in Denmark vs abroad
And several times investigating the sense that Danes (as a general rule) struggle to talk about romantic feelings, and how that is reflected in the Danish language.
We had some additional help on this episode from student journalist Frida Rottländer who joined us in the studio, and Sue-Angel Nyleti who conducted additional research.
A few things that we spoke about include
- Dating advice from Maroua Sajeb
- Dating Without Borders video “What not to do on a date in Denmark”
If you have any thoughts on this episode please do comment on our Instagram - we’d love to hear what you think!
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This episode is sponsored by Talent to Denmark's "State of Denmark" campaign.
Denmark is actively looking to attract international talent to move to the country. If you're interested to learn more about jobs in (one of) the happiest countries in the world, head to www.state-of-denmark.com/wtd
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You can also learn more about What The Denmark on our website, Facebook and Instagram
The Backstory of What The Denmark
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
04/03/21 • 2 min
How the discovery that Danish couples slept with separate duvets led to the start of the What The Denmark podcast.
Learn more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/
Forest kindergartens: why Danish parents send their children to learn in nature
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
11/09/22 • 37 min
In the 1950s, a Danish woman, Ella Flatau, began taking her kids on walks in the forest to teach them about the world.
Soon, other parents asked if their kids could join, and before long, they formalised the arrangement, creating the first "forest kindergarten" in the country, and possibly the world.
Fast forward to today, and most of us have a sense that it's good for young children (and ourselves!) to spend time in nature, but that it can be hard to do.
In Denmark, and increasingly around the world, there is a growing interest in the physical and mental benefits of children being in nature - whether that be learning to balance by climbing trees, or experiencing the mental calmness of wide, open, green spaces.
In this episode Sam goes to visit Rikke Rosengren, the founder of the Bonsai Institute skovbørnehave (forest kindergarden).
Rikke is the author of the book Child of Nature and trains teachers around the world how to incorporate more nature into their learning institutions.
Rikke shows Sam around the school and answers his (long list of) questions. As a new parent himself, understanding how they work is no longer an abstract concept, but something he is considering for his own daughter...
We also get a UK perspective, speaking with Tim Evans, who’s been a forest school leader at Alton Park primary school, about how even small amounts of nature based learning can do wonders for children and adults.
If you've ever wondered about the practicalities of letting children roam free in nature (with adult supervision), or need a little nudge towards spending more time in green spaces, then this is for you!
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This episode is sponsored by Talent to Denmark's "State of Denmark" campaign.
Denmark is actively looking to attract international talent to move to the country. If you're interested to learn more about jobs in (one of) the happiest countries in the world, head to www.state-of-denmark.com/wtd
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You can also learn more about What The Denmark on our website, Facebook and Instagram @whatthedenmark
Danish Weddings: what to expect when tying the knot (or not) in Denmark
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
01/17/24 • 49 min
If you’ve listened to our episode on Dating Danes and have been really applying yourself, you might be starting to think about Danish weddings...
Both Sam and Josefine have (separately!) had Danish weddings that are a little bit different to how other countries do it. But what are some of the things to expect when going to a Danish wedding?
In this bonus episode of What the Denmark we’re speaking to social historian Caroline Nyvang and Anna Askov, editor of Gift ved første blik or “Married at First Sight” about Danish wedding traditions.
Some of things this episode covers:
- Danish marriage traditions from the 1800s-1900s
- Why do people get married - or not - in Denmark today?
- How ‘Married at First Sight’ has become such a popular Danish export
- What does a traditional wedding day look like in Denmark? And where did these traditions come from?
- How easy is it to get married in Denmark? - Ærø “Europe’s Las Vegas”
- Why are Danish divorce rates so high?
If you have any thoughts on this episode please do comment on our Instagram - we’d love to hear what you think!
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This episode is sponsored by the Talent to a Green Denmark project who administers the A State of Denmark brand.
Denmark is actively looking to attract international talent to move to the country. If you're interested to learn more about jobs in (one of) the happiest countries in the world, head to www.state-of-denmark.com/wtd
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You can also learn more about What The Denmark on our website, Facebook and Instagram
Danish pronunciation: How to speak with a potato in your mouth
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
10/21/21 • 49 min
The initial stumbling block for a lot of non-Danes speaking Danish is being able to say things in a (somewhat) comprehensible manner, and understanding what others are saying back to you.
Danes are notorious amongst their Scandinavian counterparts for mumbling, earning the not so flattering reputation of sounding like they speak with potatoes in their mouth...
In this episode we understand why this is!
We talk about what makes the Danish language special, including:
- Vowels, vowels, vowels: three extra letters (å/æ/ø); a vowel-heavy language; intonation; assimilation (a.k.a. sounding like you have potatoes in your mouth)
- How Danish differs from Swedish and Norwegian: and perhaps reflects the countries' personalities?
- Danish is effectively two languages: the one you speak and the one you read/ write
- Viking roots: how the longstanding (written) history of Danish differs from, say, languages written down more recently (such as, say, Swahili)
- The Danish word committee: how new words enter the lexicon compared to, say, Norway ("is it majonæse or mayonaise?")
- Danglish: the fun mix of Danish and English (it's hard to be a nissemand)
- Lene, Lena, Line, Lina: four distinct Danish names that are basically indistinguishable to non-Danes because of the additional vowel sounds that Danish possesses
- Monophthongs vs diphthongs: plus other linguistic differences between Danish and other languages
as well as a discussion about the theory of language acquisition.
We also spend a lot of time discussing practical tips for how to practice pronouncing Danish from three experience language teachers
- Signe Tofte Brantelid (Studieskolen)
- Naja Hou Alberdi (Copenhagen Language Center) and
- Anders Basby (UC Plus)
The book that Josefine brings in is the Danish children's classic Halfdans ABC.
A big thanks to our excellent researcher for this episode Eli Tornøe, and the rest of the What The Denmark team.
Learn more about What The Denmark via:
www.whatthedenmark.com and @whatthedenmark on Instagram
Winter bathing: is cold water the secret to Danish happiness?
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
12/09/21 • 31 min
When temperatures drop, the last thing on most people's minds is to go outside, strip off and take a plunge into near freezing water.
That is, however, what a large percentage of the Danish population do each winter.
Why on earth would someone choose to do this?
Well, it turns out that the benefits to doing so are pretty convincing, and not just for the physical aspects of helping you burn more calories.
Sam and Josefine are joined this week in the studio by journalist Saskia Weneit.
Saskia spoke to many experts and enthusiasts in researching this topic, including:
- Jørgen Hedevang: Chairman of the Danish Winter Bathing Association
- Mette Thomsen: Danish ice-swimming champion
- Helle Gollers: a winter bathing "addict"
During the episode we cover all sorts of interesting aspects of winter bathing:
- What it actually is
- The physical health benefits of winter bathing
- The mental health benefits of winter bathing
- The history of winter bathing in Denmark
- How it has entered local politics
- How you can get started
- How to winter bathe safely
as well as Sam and Saskia's experiences winter bathing as they try (unsuccessfully) to convince Josefine to try it out...
Thanks to ECO Hotels for hosting us at Guldsmeden Hotel in Copenhagen.
Learn more about What The Denmark via: www.whatthedenmark.com and @whatthedenmark on Instagram
Note that this is the last episode of Season Two of What The Denmark - we hope you've enjoyed it!
If you've enjoyed the show, please do leave a rating/ review - it's a great way to support what we are doing, especially as we speak to potential sponsors for the show.
We hope to have more episodes for you soon!
Social conformity: why Janteloven is essential for understanding Danish society, with Michael Booth
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
10/18/22 • 38 min
We're back with Season 3!
In this episode we tackle Janteloven or "The Law of Jante".
In 1933, a Danish-Norwegian author called Axel Sandemose wrote a book describing a fictional town in rural Denmark.
The people of the town were very set in their ways, and didn't like it when individuals tried to break from the norms, or think that they were in any way special.
This fictional (satirical) piece of work has come to define how many in Scandinavia see their lives today: people are sceptical of individual success, and prefer to "be average" rather than aspire to stand out from the crowd.
Of course, it's not that simple, but knowing about this undercurrent of conformity can help explain why people in Denmark are seemingly content (or frustrated by!) following the crowd.
We are joined by writer Michael Booth (author of The Almost Nearly Perfect People) and also speak with Søren Ledet, co-founder of Geranium, a Danish restaurant that has been voted as the best restaurant in the world.
Michael shares his experiences of getting to grips with Janteloven and even learning to love it (on occasion). In the episode we reference this article he wrote for The Guardian that caused a bit of a storm.
Søren discusses how breaking free from Janteloven has allowed Geranium to achieve the next level of culinary greatness, but still without fully discarding the central law of Jante - "You are not better than anyone else".
There's much that's discussed on the pros and cons of social conformity, as well as many anecdotes from life in Denmark.
We hope you enjoy!
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This episode is sponsored by Talent to Denmark's "State of Denmark" campaign.
Denmark is actively looking to attract international talent to move to the country. If you're interested to learn more about jobs in (one of) the happiest countries in the world, head to www.state-of-denmark.com/wtd
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You can also learn more about What The Denmark on our website, Facebook and Instagram @whatthedenmark
Green Transition: how Denmark became a low-carbon, sustainable society
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
12/15/22 • 35 min
In the 1970s, Denmark was like most other Western countries when it came to generating energy: the majority came from high-polluting, non-renewable resources.
When oil crises hit after OPEC switched off oil supply, Denmark, and indeed much of the world, was hit with huge economic and social pain.
Once the flow oil came back, many countries began to return to their economies running on fossil fuels and, to some extent, it was business as usual.
But not in Denmark...
In this episode, we take a look at Denmark’s “Green Transition” - how (and why) the country took the hard path towards creating a low-carbon, resource-efficient society.
Sam speaks with Finn Mortensen the Executive Director of State of Green, a Danish public-private partnership that exists to support and explain Denmark’s transition “from black to green”.
The two talk about:
- Why Denmark (unlike other countries) acted on transitioning away from “black” energy in the aftermath of the 1970s oil crisis
- How Denmark’s public and private sectors collaborated to ensure a just transition in former oil cities
- The Danish psyche of resource preservation demonstrated by toddlers turning off the taps
- An alternative history of Denmark discovering the oil deposits of Norway
- The mistakes Denmark made, and what they have learned from them
If you’re looking at the current energy crisis and seeking inspiration for how countries can move from being reliant on fossil fuels (controlled by unpredictable governments) then give this episode a listen!
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This episode is sponsored by Talent to Denmark's "State of Denmark" campaign.
Denmark is actively looking to attract international talent to move to the country. If you're interested to learn more about jobs in (one of) the happiest countries in the world, head to www.state-of-denmark.com/wtd
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You can also learn more about What The Denmark on our website, Facebook and Instagram @whatthedenmark
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FAQ
How many episodes does What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes have?
What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes currently has 29 episodes available.
What topics does What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Podcasts, Social Sciences and Science.
What is the most popular episode on What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes?
The episode title 'Little land: how Denmark's history defines the nation today' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes?
The average episode length on What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes is 35 minutes.
How often are episodes of What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes released?
Episodes of What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes?
The first episode of What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes was released on Apr 3, 2021.
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