When most people think of Denmark they imagine a kind of utopia, where everyone is housed, fed, happy, and children roam the streets without fear of crime. Even I found myself speaking about Denmark in a way that contributes to this romanticizing narrative as opposed to zooming out and looking at the bigger picture. While Denmark is incredibly safe, clean, and environmentally conscious, it is also incredibly wealthy, white, and exclusionary. The Kingdom of Denmark consists of the region in continental Europe (what most people think of when they think of “Denmark”), the Faroe Islands, and Greenland. Both the Faroe Islands and Greenland were colonized by Denmark and are reliant on the Danish economy to this day. While it is easy to focus on the many things Denmark does well, it is equally as important to focus on the history which allows Denmark to exist as it does today. 

This is not to say the entire “happiest country in the world” narrative is a sham, there are certainly many things Danes actively do well in order to uphold this status. However, I’m interested in understanding how Denmark has reached its status and who is included in this “utopia”. When we talk about Danes being the happiest in the world, who are we actually talking about? Does the demographic behind that statistic reflect the reality of life for all Danes? These questions have repeatedly come to my mind as I navigate life here and have helped me to consider my own positionality as a poc student abroad.