Communal singing is a signature cultural activity in Denmark. It occurs either spontaneously or as semi-ritualized features in private and public events. Communal singing facilitates social bonding, upholds social cohesion, and is an integral part of the high trust culture in Denmark. This has been the case ever since Danish cultural entrepreneurs like N.F.S. Grundtvig made strategic use of communal singing as a social mobilization technique. Professor Baunvig will present the results of a recent survey on contemporary attitudes towards communal singing in Denmark and the ways it impacts the Danish understanding of nation and community.
Katrine Frøkjær Baunvig is an associate professor at Aarhus University in Denmark where she leads a national research center focused on the social thought of Danish bishop and poet N. F. S. Grundtvig.
Part of the Kennedy Center's Winter 2023 lecture series, "Building a Civil Society."