Abstract
In the following chapter, I will explore discourses of love and coupledom in the context of Scandinavia inspired by sources such as the film by Swedish director and author Ingmar Bergman: Scenes from a Marriage, and literature by Scandinavian authors Norwegian Nobel Prize Winner Sigrid Undset: Kristin Lavransdatter, and contemporary Swedish author, Lena Andersson: The willful desire.
I will also draw on my study entitled Some call it love (Øfsti, Some call it love: Exploring Norwegian systemic couple therapists’ discourses of love, intimacy and sexuality. University of East Londo, London, 2008), an exploration of Norwegian couple therapists and their use of discourses of love, intimacy and sexuality. This research was a qualitative study based on interviews with and video material from five therapists conducting couple therapy. The method of analysis was discourse analysis, and poststructuralist theory has informed the design and underpinned my epistemological stance.
In this chapter, I will explore and discuss different discourses of love such as courtly love, the romantic, nuclear family discourse, and the discourse of pure relationships, which emphasizes nurturing, self-esteem, and self-realization.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersson, L. (2016). Willful disregard. New York: Other Press. LLC.
Beck, U., & Beck-Gernsheim, E. (1995). The normal Chaos of love. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Bergman, I. (1973). Scener ur ett äktenskap. Cinematograph AB.
Evans, M. (2003). Love: An unromantic discussion. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Giddens, A. (1992). The transformation of intimacy: sexuality, love and eroticism in modern societies. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Hernes, H. (1987). Welfare state and women power: Essays in state feminism. Norwegian University Press.
Madsen, O. J. (2009). Psykologi, samfunn og etikk. Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologforening, 46(2), 144–152.
Mann, E. (2017). Scenes from a marriage. Screenplay.
Øfsti, A. K. S. (2008). Some call it love: Exploring Norwegian systemic couple therapists’ discourses of love, intimacy and sexuality. London: University of East Londo.
Øfsti, A. K. S. (2010). Parterapi: kjærlighet, intimitet og samliv i en brytningstid. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.
Rose, N. (1989/1999). Governing the soul the shaping of the private self. London: Free Association Books.
Undset, S. (2014). Kristin Lavransdatter. New York: Penguin Random House.
Willig, C. (2001). Introducing qualitative research in psychology adventures in theory and method. Philadelphia: Open University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Øfsti, A.K.S. (2020). The Existential and Relational Meaning of Intimacy and Love for Couples in Scandinavia: Through a Lens of Scandinavian Fiction and Drama. In: Abela, A., Vella, S., Piscopo, S. (eds) Couple Relationships in a Global Context. European Family Therapy Association Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37712-0_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37712-0_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-37711-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-37712-0
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)