AbstractsHistory

: The historical and cultural relations between Iceland and Denmark date back to the Viking age. Today the connection between the two countries are less visible but can be tracked in the Icelandic Educational system where the Danish language is being taught from 7th-10th grade. We investigate the relevance of the Danish language within the Icelandic education system and the experience of the language by interviewing students, politicians, and experts within the field of education as subjects for the study. The findings emphasize how the subjects make meaning of the relevance of the language through their lived world. It can be concluded that it is not only the history between the two countries that dominates the importance of Danish being taught as a subject within the Icelandic education system, but moreover also the important part the language take in connecting Iceland to the rest of the Nordic community in regards to education, labor market, and politics.