"Othering the Self and Same-ing the Other": Australians watching Nordic Noir

TY - CHAP

T1 - "Othering the Self and Same-ing the Other"

T2 - Australians watching Nordic Noir

AU - Jensen, Pia Majbritt

AU - McCutcheon, Marion

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - In this chapter we explore how some international viewers of Danish television drama saw in Danish series a lifeworld and society closer to their own than that depicted in domestic drama series, which they in turn are highly critical of. We understand this as a dialectic process of “othering the Self and same-ing the Other”. Though present to varying degrees in other countries, this process was particularly salient in Australia, where Danish series have enjoyed relatively impressive ratings on the Special Broadcasting Service over the past 15 years. We explain the dialectic process through a combination of factors, including the “hyper realism” of the aesthetics and character performances in the Danish series; the fairly limited knowledge that Australian audiences have of Denmark; Denmark’s reputation as a progressive society worth aspiring to; and the so-called “cultural cringe” that viewers instinctively feel towards products from their own culture.

AB - In this chapter we explore how some international viewers of Danish television drama saw in Danish series a lifeworld and society closer to their own than that depicted in domestic drama series, which they in turn are highly critical of. We understand this as a dialectic process of “othering the Self and same-ing the Other”. Though present to varying degrees in other countries, this process was particularly salient in Australia, where Danish series have enjoyed relatively impressive ratings on the Special Broadcasting Service over the past 15 years. We explain the dialectic process through a combination of factors, including the “hyper realism” of the aesthetics and character performances in the Danish series; the fairly limited knowledge that Australian audiences have of Denmark; Denmark’s reputation as a progressive society worth aspiring to; and the so-called “cultural cringe” that viewers instinctively feel towards products from their own culture.

KW - transnational television

KW - Danish TV

KW - media policy and practice

KW - Nordic Noir

KW - international television market

KW - audiences

UR - https://www.nordicom.gu.se/sv

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 978-91-88855-21-3

SP - 21

EP - 37

BT - The Global Audiences of Danish TV Drama

A2 - Jensen, Pia Majbritt

A2 - Jacobsen, Ushma Chauhan

PB - Nordicom

CY - Gothenburg

ER -