Leaving the Fatherland Behind – Emigration and Diaspora Policies in Denmark

Abstract

Denmark, until the middle of the twentieth century, was an emigration country, which like many other European countries saw a substantial proportion of its population leave their native land for the new world. Yet, Denmark has been relatively modest and unambitious – and in many ways a distinct latecomer – in the area of citizenship legislation and the development of emigration and diaspora policies. With increasing educational mobility and international orientation, among the urban youth in particular, there is now a more official and also popular recognition of the normality of emigration. Accordingly, a number of practical and administrative measures have been adopted in the areas of tax regulation, social security, and health insurance – and most importantly in the acceptance of dual citizenship – to ease the life of emigrants. This chapter discusses this shift in policymaking.