So what's a nailing?

Nailing is another word for publishing a doctoral thesis (in Swedish) and is done three weeks before the doctoral thesis defence so that the public will have the opportunity to read the thesis in advance and be able to ask questions at the defence.

There are different opinions about where the custom comes from, but many believe that it was Martin Luther who started the tradition in 1517 when he nailed his theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. The door was used as the university's bulletin board* and by nailing the theses here, Luther invited the academia to a discussion of his ideas.

At Lund University, the posting is now done electronically in Lucris, although many have kept the ceremony around the physical nailing to celebrate the completion of the thesis.

Porten till slottskyrkan i Wittenberg användes som universitetets anslagstavla (To the web site of The Church of Sweden. Article on nailing in the olden times in Swedish).