IKEAFICATION in the UK

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Nordic noir, particularly the series The Bridge, acts as a barometer for cultural anxieties regarding social welfare and political polarisation in the UK. This fascination is part of "Ikeafication," where the Nordic model represents a socio-economic utopia for international audiences. Through "Nordientalism," the genre provides an exotic yet familiar landscape where viewers can safely project domestic tensions like Brexit or gender politics.

The genre's popularity among metropolitan, liberal-leaning elites functions as a middle-class cultural code. The labour required to watch subtitled programs creates an "IKEA effect," where the effort expended increases the viewer's valuation of the content. Protagonists like Saga Norén challenge traditional gender norms through rationality and efficiency, although the narratives are often criticised for depicting a predominantly White and bourgeois world that lacks racial diversity.

Ultimately, The Bridge serves as a symbol of postmodern identity, providing a "hyper-real" environment to examine complex national and social discourses. This "otherness" feels safe to international audiences because it remains familiar, allowing for a mediated exploration of dark undercurrents within their own societies.