Likhet Is Not Equality: Discussing Norway in English and Norwegian

Abram, S

Abstract

This chapter considers some views of Norwegian egalitarianism from the outside. English-language accounts of the Norwegian state describe a welfare state marked by national egalitarianism. This chapter argues that such an impression is misleading, and that the idealistic image is in fact doing the work of nationalism rather than political analysis. It contrasts such accounts with critiques of the notion of ‘likhet’ (“sameness”) in the Norwegian language and with writings on the nationalism of Norway by Norwegian anthropologists. In doing so, it demonstrates how easily social scientists may misinterpret the politics and sociology of other countries when they are represented in international debate by a few centrally placed authors who, intentionally or otherwise, reproduce the myths of nationhood.

Citation

Abram, S. (2019). Likhet Is Not Equality: Discussing Norway in English and Norwegian. In S. Bendixsen, M. Bringslid, & H. Vike (Eds.), Egalitarianism in Scandinavia. Approaches to Social Inequality and Difference (87-108). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59791-1_4

• Online Publication Date: Oct 1, 2019
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: Oct 1, 2019
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Pages: 87-108
• Series Title: Approaches to Social Inequality and Difference
• Book Title: Egalitarianism in Scandinavia. Approaches to Social Inequality and Difference
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59791-1_4
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1630805
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-59791-1_4
• Contract Date: Oct 1, 2019