The echo of the quartercentenary of Uppsala University in 1877 across Scandinavia

The University of Uppsala wanted to make doubly sure that her quartercentenary in 1877 would become one of the largest celebrations that had taken place in Sweden up to that moment. Numerous guests were invited from home and abroad, particularly from the neighbouring countries, to make the celebration into a grand Nordic event. The attempt to give a Nordic interpretation to the quartercentenary was supported by the students from the different Nordic countries. However, in Finland the previously unquestioned positive attitude towards the Swedish neighbour had slightly changed and the selection of representatives for the Uppsala jubilee revealed a serious split within the Finnish student community. Moreover, the increasingly critical position towards Swedish education and science in Finland was also due to the prevailing conflict at Uppsala University between human and natural sciences. According to the other Scandinavian brother nations too, this was proof that the University of Uppsala was not as modern as the impression it wanted to give. In result the quartercentenary turned out being a national celebration, serving national interest, just as much as being a Nordic event.

ISBN:9789004216945

Toegankelijkheid:Closed