Introduction: Nordic Design Cultures in Transformation, 1960–1980

Abstract

The socially, culturally, politically, and economically turbulent period between 1960 and 1980 saw profound transformations of Nordic design cultures through dramatic changes to the production systems, consumption regimes, economic policies, and ideological paradigms in which they were enmeshed. But unlike the previous ‘golden era’, it has received surprisingly little attention. This introduction outlines the scope and ambition of the project and positions the book in a broader context of historical developments which shaped and constituted the profound transformations to Nordic design cultures in this period. The first part discusses the overarching issues of revolt and resilience in the realms of politics, institutions, and practices. The second part of the introduction presents the contributions and links them together by means of highlighting common themes and theoretical concerns.