Open AccessNew Heathenry between past and present. The case of Ásatrúfélagið and Samfundet Forn Sed
Author(s) -
Irina Maria Manea
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
revista română de studii baltice şi nordice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2067-1725
pISSN - 2067-225X
DOI - 10.53604/rjbns.v13i2_2
Subject(s) - mythology , postmodernism , narrative , sociology , romance , distancing , aesthetics , identity (music) , media studies , history , gender studies , epistemology , literature , philosophy , art , medicine , disease , covid-19 , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , classics
As a variant of alternative spirituality derived from postmodern fluidity and fragmentation of large narratives, Nordic Heathenry has gone through a revival for the past decades. Due to the common ground of potentially völkish/ethnicist views shared by far-right milieus, it has been confronted with the risk of the extremist framework dominating the reception of Norse symbols and myths. While many strains of heathenry might present similarities in their neo-romantic nativist revival, some have been attempting to focus on a heritage discourse that can become acceptable and normalized in society, reflecting an open and inclusive attitude. The Asatru Association in Iceland and The Old Way in Sweden, through their public message and stated mission, underline the need for the freedom to reinvent myth and ritual while remaining anchored in the present, thus distancing themselves from other cultural appropriations and proclaiming their own role in society. The very flexible view on myth and ritual constitutes a defining aspect for the identity of these movements.