“Thus there is a general belief that a student’s performance in one crucial examination at about the age of 18 is likely to determine the rest of his life. In other words: the university entrance examination is the primary sorting device for careers in Japanese society. The result is not an aristocracy of birth, but a sort of degree-ocracy” (OECD, Reviews of National Policies for Education: JAP...

In continental and north-western Europe armed cavalry – aided by the introduction of stirrup was closely linked to emergence feudalism but this also case in Scandinavia? Were resulting military specialists growing national kingdoms, or local regional power spheres ruled petty kings? I will investigate historical region Upplǫnd last Norse area be integrated into Kingdom Norway Óláfr Haraldsson a...