Self-Help/Mutual Aid in Nordic Countries: Introduction to Special Nordic Issue

Abstract

We are delighted to introduce you to our Special Issue on Nordic perspectives on self-help/mutual aid. The articles in this issue will give readers an insight into both the types of self-help groups and activities that occur in some of the Nordic countries as well as the policies and support structures that are a feature of their welfare landscape Health care and welfare systems provide a context that shapes and responds to the contours of self-help/mutual aid, making the country context very relevant (Borkman & Munn-Giddings, 2008; Dill & Coury, 2008). The issue contains articles concerning Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, but all the Nordic countries (Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Åland) are hallmarked by a strong and homogenous welfare state built on similar core ideas and are quite similar to each other by comparison with welfare states in other countries. Even though the articles investigate activities in only three countries, the influence of the “Scandinavian Welfare Model” can be seen as threads in each of the articles.