ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the volume’s background, contents, and structure, explaining the foundational theoretical underpinnings, premises, and organizing principles. In addition to defining and delineating the nation-states encompassed by the term “Nordic countries,” the chapter also explicitly discusses and contextualizes the similarities and the differences between the languages and societies of the Nordic countries. The main focus, however, is on identifying what makes these countries a cohesive and coherent unit of study – in general, but especially with regard to shared social, cultural, and linguistic aspects as unifying themes among the Nordic countries. Importantly, this introductory chapter critically addresses the common narrative of the “rise” or “triumph” of English and the frequent framing of the spread of English in the Nordics as a success story.
