Occupational science in a Nordic environment

Although there are significant differences among the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Sweden), their welfare models of society share many common characteristics as contexts for occupational science research. This paper presents the author’s perspective, based on a decade long interest in occupational science, of how everyday life, health and social concerns in the Nordic welfare societies are understood and mirrored in occupational science research themes and perspectives. A second aim is to provide examples of current directions of Nordic occupational science. Concepts such as justice, equality of life quality, access to public services have been, and continue to be, essential values in the Nordic countries. For this reason, well-being, access to meaningful and healthy occupational engagement, and a holistic occupational perspective have particular interest to and have been investigated by several Nordic occupational scientists. Research discussions also deal with how key theoretical concepts within occupational science are understood in the Nordic contexts and how these understandings relate to development in society. In this context, occupational science can be seen to contribute important knowledge of, and perspectives on, the value of meaningful occupational engagement in citizens’ everyday lives.