Negotiations of Science and Religion in Nordic Institutions: An Ethnographic Approach

This article explores how two seemingly contradictory global trends—scientific rationality and religious expressiveness—intersect are negotiated in people’s lives Nordic countries. We focus on Finland Sweden, both countries with reputations of being highly secular modernized welfare states. The draws our multi-sited ethnography including interviews health practitioners, academics, students identifying as Lutheran, Orthodox, Muslim, or anthroposophic. Building new institutionalist World Society Theory, the asks whether individuals perceive any conflict at intersection “science” “religion”, they negotiate such a relationship while working studying universities clinics, prime sites secularism scientific rationality. Our findings attest to creative artistry managing their identifications secular, Nordic, organizational culture which religion is often constructed old-fashioned irrelevant. identify discuss three widespread modes negotiation by people discursively manage account for between science space: segregation, estrangement, incorporation. Such surprising similarities point effects institutionalized that shape spiritual identities, also illustrating local context must be factored into future, empirical research discourses religion.