The royal Republic of Ladonia: A micronation built of driftwood, concrete and bytes

Abstract

The Royal Republic of Ladonia, the brainchild of artist Lars Vilks, is a micronation that advocates freedom of expression, supporting art and creativity. This article outlines Ladonia as the physical territory claimed in the Kullaberg peninsula in Sweden and the online community, where the government, nobles, and citizens gather. Ladonia coexists as both a physical territory and as a large and active online community, distinguishing itself from other micronations, which are either active online communities or claim small physical territories. Using Ladonia as the context, this article extends the concept of aislamiento (insularity/islandness) to show how a micronation can have coexisting and interrelated states of aislamiento.