Liberty in a Social Democracy: The Case of Iceland
摘要
This chapter explores how a society can look when freedom of identity, family, education, and creativity for all are centered instead of the neoliberal pursuit of wealth and resources for the few. The ways in which families are given material and time resources to invest in their well-being is examined to understand how the focus of the culture creates a society that emphasizes freedom of choice with minimal stigma. How children are raised and supported by the community and government policies in ways that emphasize opportunities to grow and learn freely and independently is used to provide further context into the priorities of the culture. The heavy emphasis on creative pursuits and the policies that have been developed to support creative people is also explored to understand ways in which individuals can be supported across multiple levels of society to feel and be free. I also describe some of the research that my students have been able to do across multiple study abroad trips over the past decade to understand how Icelanders themselves view their sense of creativity, community, and freedom.