Name: The Predicament of Privilege. Inequality and Ambivalence in Contemporary Scandinavian Culture
SKU: 65544789
Price: 359.00 NZD
Availability: InStock
Author: Devika Sharma;Andrew Nestingen
ISBN: 9780295754109

portada The Predicament of Privilege. Inequality and Ambivalence in Contemporary Scandinavian Culture

The Predicament of Privilege. Inequality and Ambivalence in Contemporary Scandinavian Culture

Type

Physical Book

Publisher

University of Washington Press

Author

Devika Sharma;Andrew Nestingen

Collection

New Directions in Scandinavian Studies

Year

2026

Pages

256

Format

Hardcover

Dimensions

22.9x15.2 cm

ISBN13

9780295754109

The Predicament of Privilege. Inequality and Ambivalence in Contemporary Scandinavian Culture

Devika Sharma;Andrew Nestingen (Author) · University of Washington Press · Hardcover

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Synopsis "The Predicament of Privilege. Inequality and Ambivalence in Contemporary Scandinavian Culture"

Is privilege a problem? Scandinavians ask, Is this okay?—and wrestle with the answerA twenty-first century paradox has emerged in contemporary Scandinavian societies: the region's deeply ingrained egalitarian ideals exist uneasily alongside its undeniable global privilege. In The Predicament of Privilege, Devika Sharma examines this tension, exploring how a well-intentioned desire to "do good" collides with an unsettling realization: the very structures that enable ethical consumption, charitable donations, and humanitarian action are themselves embedded in a system of exploitation. Through an incisive analysis of contemporary Scandinavian cultural texts, The Predicament of Privilege introduces the concept of skeptimentality—a pervasive moral ambivalence about virtuous emotions like compassion and generosity. As Sharma demonstrates, this sentiment does not necessarily lead to action but creates a vacuum, leaving privilege-sensitive publics with a crisis of conscience but no clear path forward. Sharma's book challenges both the self-image of Nordic societies and the broader assumptions of humanitarian ethics. A necessary read for scholars, cultural critics, and anyone engaging with the politics of privilege, this book offers a bold new perspective on the unfinished business of equality.