DOCSLIB.ORG

100 Years of Social Dialogue and Tripartism in Norway

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
100 Years of Social Dialogue and Tripartism in Norway Getting and staying together: 100 years of social dialogue and tripartism in Norway Kristin Alsos Kristine Nergaard Sissel C. Trygstad ISBN 978-92-2-133494-1 9 7892 2 1 334 9 4 1 DRAFT IV 05-06-2019 Getting and staying together: 100 years of social dialogue and tripartism in Norway Getting and staying together: 100 years of social dialogue and tripartism in Norway Kristin Alsos Kristine Nergaard Sissel C. Trygstad International Labour Organization • Geneva June 2019 Copyright © International Labour Organization and Fafo Research Foundation 2019 First published 2019 Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authori- zation, on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to ILO Publications (Rights and Licensing), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, or by email: [email protected]. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications. Libraries, institutions and other users registered with a reproduction rights organization may make copies in accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. Visit www.ifrro.org to find the reproduction rights organization in your country. Getting and staying together: 100 years of social dialogue and tripartism in Norway International Labour Office - Geneva: ILO, 2019 ISBN 978-92-2-133494-1 (print) ISBN 978-92-2-133495-8 (web PDF) The designations employed in ILO publications, which are in conformity with United Nations practice, and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the International Labour Office concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. The responsibility for opinions expressed in signed articles, studies and other contributions rests solely with their authors, and publication does not constitute an endorsement by the International Labour Office, Fafo Research Foundation or the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the opi- nions expressed in them. Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes does not imply their endorsement by the International Labour Office, Fafo Research Foundation or the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, and any failure to mention a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a sign of disapproval. Information on ILO publications and digital products can be found at: www.ilo.org/publns. This publication was produced by the Document and Publications Production, Printing and Distribution Branch (PRODOC) of the ILO. Graphic and typographic design, layout and composition, printing, electronic publishing and distribution. PRODOC endeavours to use paper sourced from forests managed in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible manner. CODE: SCR-REP ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In this report we examine the role of tripartism and social dialogue in one of the Nordic countries, Norway. We address the emergence of tripartite cooperation and the institutions facilitating such cooperation, the outcomes of tripartism and how tripartite cooperation can help Norway face the challenges of the changing world of work. The report has been financed by the ILO and the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (ASD). We would like to thank these institutions, and in particular Youcef Ghellab at ILO and Charlotte Gede Vidnes at ASD for their smooth handling of all issues pertaining to the organization of the project. We are also thankful to representatives from LO, NHO and the Norwegian Ministry of Finance for sharing their insights with us, as well as commenting on drafts of this report. We thank as well the many officials from the following ILO Departments and Units (ACT/EMP, ACTRAV, DIALOGUE, EUROPE, INWORK, and LABOURLAW) and Kari Tapiola for their insightful comments and suggestions. Also, thanks to Anne Mette Ødegård at Fafo for her valuable comments. Finally, a word of thanks to Mark Johnson and Caroline O’Reilly for editing the text and to Germaine Ndiaye for her support in preparing the report for publication. As always, the authors are solely responsible for the content of the report, including any pos- sible errors. Kristin Alsos, Kristine Nergaard and Sissel C. Trygstad Oslo, June 2019 v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................... v ACRONYMS ..................................................................................... ix 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1 A model for the past and the future? ............................................ 1 2. GETTING TOGETHER: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ...................... 5 Partnership at the industry and enterprise levels ........................... 7 Working environment and labour market regulation ........................ 8 Wage formation and incomes policy ............................................. 8 3. KEY ACTORS AND INSTITUTIONS .............................................. 11 Cooperation through formal institutions ........................................ 14 Strong tradition of workplace cooperation ..................................... 16 4. SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND TRIPARTISM TODAY .............................. 19 Coordinated wage bargaining ....................................................... 19 Adjustments through tripartite commissions .................................. 20 Collective bargaining intervention ................................................ 22 Skills and training ...................................................................... 23 Diversity and inclusion ................................................................ 24 Social protection ........................................................................ 25 Gender equality and part-time work .............................................. 26 Working environment standards ................................................... 26 ‘Old’ problems with new relevance ............................................... 28 5. TRIPARTITE COOPERATION ON THE FUTURE OF WORK .............. 31 Skills development is vital ........................................................... 31 New technology on the agenda of tripartite cooperation .................. 32 Climate ..................................................................................... 33 vii GETTING AND STAYING TOGETHER: 100 YEARS OF SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND TRIPARTISM IN NORWAY 6. STAYING TOGETHER .................................................................. 35 INTERVIEWS ............................................................................. 37 Interview with Mrs Anniken Hauglie, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs ....................................................................... 37 Interview with Hans-Christian Gabrielsen, LO President ................. 38 Interview with Nina Melsom, NHO, Director of Labour Relations ..... 39 REFERENCES............................................................................ 41 LIST OF PERSONS INTERVIEWED FOR THIS REPORT .................. 43 viii ACRONYMS AFP Collective agreement based early retirement scheme CFA ILO Committee on Freedom of Association ILO International Labour Organization KS Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities LO Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions N.A.F. Norwegian Employers’ Association NHO Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise OSH Occupational safety and health RVO Regional safety representatives TBU Technical Calculation Committee for Wage Settlements VET Vocational education and training YS Confederation of Vocational Unions ix 1. INTRODUCTION The Nordic labour model is a problem-solver and adapts to new circumstances, while retaining its fundamental cooperation between the social partners.1 (Guy Ryder, Director-General of the ILO) The Nordic labour model, characterized by social dialogue and tripartism, has become a trademark of the Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Tripartite cooperation is pursued across political dividing lines, and is today considered crucial for the national economy. Back at the beginning of the 20th century, few if any would have thought that social dialogue and tripartism would be considered as a competitive advantage in the future. This report looks back over the 100 years of experience of the model in one of the Nordic countries, Norway. A model for the past and the future? In 2016, the two most influential organizations in Norwegian working life, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), launched a joint ‘sustainability alternative’ (Bærekraftsalternativet) which received much praise from the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. The two social partners emphasized the challenges that the Norwegian economy will face in the future of work and highlighted the following objectives, which they committed to work together to achieve: • broad wage settlements, • increased emphasis on skills and training, • a sustainable, economic policy that promotes growth to ensure higher employment. The concluding remark from the 2016 leaders, NHO Director-General Kris- tin Skogen Lund and LO President Gerd Kristiansen, in their joint speech, was: 1 https://www.norden.org/en/nyhed/nordic-region-inspires-ilo-pursue-equal-pay-and-
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Theme: the Nordics Focus on Work Environments – but in Different Ways
    Portrait Editorial Norway's Minister of Labour Anniken New roads leading to healthy workplaces Hauglie is passionate about social entrepreneurship News News Robotisation and Mercedes bring a Micro-management a threat to Nordic thousand new jobs to Finland labour market models Apr 12, 2017 Theme: The Nordics focus on work environments – but in different ways Newsletter from the Nordic Labour Journal 3/2017 WWW.ARBEIDSLIVINORDEN.ORG 1 Contents NORDIC LABOUR JOURNAL New roads leading to healthy workplaces............... 3 Work Research Institute Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Nordic working environment authorities with Sciences, Postboks 4 St. Olavs plass, different views on social dumping...........................4 NO-0130 Oslo Danish working environment in crisis – and measures are about to change ................................. 7 PUBLISHER Work Research Institute, HIOA, Iceland: Tourism boom leads to flourishing black commissioned by the Nordic Council of market ...................................................................... 9 Ministers. Finland wants to have Europe's best working life by 2020 ....................................................................... 12 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF New centre of knowledge for Swedish working Berit Kvam environments ........................................................ 15 EMAIL Norway's Minister of Labour Anniken Hauglie is [email protected] passionate about social entrepreneurship .............17 Micro-management a threat to Nordic labour WEB market models ......................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Freedom in the World Report, Norway
    6/5/2020 Norway | Freedom House FREEDOM IN THE WORLD 2020 Norway 100 FREE /100 Political Rights 40 /40 Civil Liberties 60 /60 LAST YEAR'S SCORE & STATUS 100 /100 Free Global freedom statuses are calculated on a weighted scale. See the methodology. https://freedomhouse.org/country/norway/freedom-world/2020 1/14 6/5/2020 Norway | Freedom House Overview Norway is one of the most robust democracies in the world. Elections are free and fair, and power regularly rotates between parties. Civil liberties are respected, with independent media and civil society actors holding the government to account. Discrimination against Roma and other minorities remains a problem. Key Developments in 2019 The governing Conservative and opposition Labour parties both faltered in local elections in September. The Green, Red, Socialist Left, and Centre parties saw increases in voter support. A neo-Nazi sympathizer attempted to attack a mosque in the southwestern municipality of Bærum after murdering his sibling in August. The mosque attack was unsuccessful, and the assailant was charged with murder and attempted murder; his case was ongoing at year’s end. In October, Norway’s welfare agency was found to have misinterpreted EU rules when it denied benefits to recipients traveling abroad since at least 2012; least 48 were wrongfully imprisoned on charges of welfare fraud during this period. Political Rights A. Electoral Process A1 0-4 pts Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? 4 / 4 The constitutional monarch, currently King Harald V, appoints the prime minister, who is the leader of the majority party or coalition in the parliament.
    [Show full text]
  • No Model in Practice: a Nordic Model to Respond to Prostitution? Abstract
    Submission to Crime, Law and Social Change No model in practice: A Nordic model to respond to prostitution? Abstract The so-called Nordic model to respond to prostitution has been considered in legislative debates across Europe and internationally, and hailed by some as best practice to tackle sex trafficking and is believed to support gender equality. Yet, when we interrogate the utilisation of the Nordic countries laws by law enforcers, it is not being implemented as per the law. We argue that 'all that is occurring is the transfer of rhetoric and ideology' in these countries ([1] at 56). In this article, we expose the cracks in the so-called Nordic model, thereby discrediting the 'persuasive' nature of a unified Nordic approach to prostitution. We draw on policy transfer and comparative law literature to illuminate the problems and challenges of naïve adoption of this so-called model, arguing that this can lead to uninformed, inappropriate and incomplete transfer of the Nordic model, which then becomes a policy irritant, further exacerbating the very problems it seeks to address. Key words Sex work, prostitution, Nordic model, policy transfer, policy irritant 1 Submission to Crime, Law and Social Change Introduction It has been claimed that a Nordic model to respond to prostitution exists after Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland introduced legislation that made the purchase of sex a criminal offence. This model has subsequently been hailed as a successful policy approach across many international and European countries, and has led some nations to enact similar laws. The approach taken by the Nordic countries has been identified as a ‘neo-abolitionist’ policy approach to prostitution [2].
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 2385 Møte Onsdag Den 8. Mars 2017 Kl. 10 President: Olemic
    2017 8. mar. – Muntlig spørretime 2385 Møte onsdag den 8. mars 2017 kl. 10 ten hans – hadde vore saman med ein annan mann, fekk han mildare straff. President: Olemic Thommessen Domstolen behandlar enkeltsaker. Det gjer ikkje me, så heller ikkje utfallet i desse sakene tek me stilling til. Men Dagsorden (nr. 57): me er lovgjevarar, me bestemmer prinsippa som folk vert 1. Muntlig spørretime dømde etter. Vald i nære relasjonar er eit viktig tema for 2. Ordinær spørretime oss i Arbeidarpartiet. Me registrerer òg at riksadvokaten har prioritert dette, og det er me glade for. 3. Referat Samtidig ser me at det er heilt nødvendig å bruka denne dagen – 8. mars, kvinnedagen, i 2017 – til å stadfesta: Det Presidenten: Representanten Trine Skei Grande vil finst ikkje «berettiget harme» i ein partnarrelasjon. Det fremsette et representantforslag. finst ikkje noko raseri som gjer det greitt å banka kona si. Viss rettspraksis utviklar seg i motsett retning, er Arbei- Trine Skei Grande (V) [10:00:51]: På vegne av stor- darpartiet budd på å ta dei politiske initiativa som trengst tingsrepresentanten Iselin Nybø og meg sjøl ønsker jeg å for å stoppa at paragrafen om «berettiget harme» vert brukt fremme forslag om nye tiltak for å fremme likestilling. i partnarvaldssaker. Spørsmålet mitt er: Er justismi- nisteren budd på å gjera det same? Presidenten: Representanten Jette F. Christensen vil fremsette et representantforslag. Statsråd Per-Willy Amundsen [10:04:26]: I likhet med representanten kan heller ikke jeg kommentere den- Jette F. Christensen (A) [10:01:16]: Jeg vil på vegne ne konkrete saken. Det er domstolenes ansvar å idømme av stortingsrepresentantene Martin Kolberg, Gunvor El- riktig straff i det enkelte tilfellet.
    [Show full text]
  • No Model in Practice: a 'Nordic Model' to Respond to Prostitution?
    Crime, Law and Social Change https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-018-9795-6 No model in practice: a ‘Nordic model’ to respond to prostitution? Sarah Kingston1 & Terry Thomas2 # The Author(s) 2018 Abstract The so-called Nordic model to respond to prostitution has been considered in legislative debates across Europe and internationally, and hailed by some as best practice to tackle sex trafficking and is believed to support gender equality. Yet, when we interrogate the utilisation of the Nordic countries laws by law enforcers, it is not being implemented as per the law. We argue that ‘all that is occurring is the transfer of rhetoric and ideology’ in these countries ((Stone Politics, 19 (1): 51–59, 1999) at 56). In this article, we expose the cracks in the so-called Nordic model, thereby discrediting the ‘persuasive’ nature of a unified Nordic approach to prostitution. We draw on policy transfer and comparative law literature to illuminate the problems and challenges of naïve adoption of this so- called model, arguing that this can lead to uninformed, inappropriate and incomplete transfer of the Nordic model, which then becomes a policy irritant, further exacerbating the very problems it seeks to address. Introduction It has been claimed that a Nordic model to respond to prostitution exists after Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland introduced legislation that made the purchase of sex a criminal offence. This model has subsequently been hailed as a successful policy approach across many international and European countries, and has led some nations to enact similar laws. The approach taken by the Nordic countries has been identified as a ‘neo-abolitionist’ policy approach to prostitution [1].
    [Show full text]
  • Revised Strategy for Combating Work-Related Crime (PDF)
    Revised strategy for combating work-related crime 13 February 2017 Foreword Work-related crime is a growing challenge involving serious consequences both for workers and undertakings and for society as a whole. A sound and responsible working life in Norway is dependent on compliance with the rules go- verning working life, while preventing and combating work-related crime. The work on combating work-related crime is to be continued, and there is a need for further strengthening of these efforts. The Government is therefore presenting a revised strategy for combating work-related crime. The strategy has been developed in a dialogue with the social partners. A broad and concerted effort to combat work-related crime is being maintained through coopera- tion with the social partners. Increased coordination and strengthened information flow between government agencies is planned to promote a more concerted and coordinated fight against work-related crime. Improved registration and control will make it easier to detect irresponsible actors. Increased knowledge will encourage well informed choices and have a preventive effect. The measures of the revised strategy are planned to strengthen efforts to combat work-related crime and to make these efforts more targeted. Erna Solberg Prime Minister Anniken Hauglie Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Siv Jensen Minister of Finance Per-Willy Trudvang Amundsen Minister of Justice and Public Security Jan Tore Sanner Minister of Local Government and Modernisation Torbjørn Røe Isaksen Minister of Education and Research Monica Mæland Minister of Trade and Industry Page 1 of 20 1 Introduction In January 2015, the Government presented its strategy for combating work-related crime.
    [Show full text]
  • INTEGRERINGS- Konferansen 2017
    den nasjonale INTEGRERINGS- konferansen 2017 RAPPORT Innhold Innledning ......................................................................................................................3 Oppfordringer og tips fra innledere og deltakere ..........................................................4 Referatsamling: Åpningstalen ved statsminister Erna Solberg ...................................................................... 6 Innvandrings- og integreringsminister Sylvi Listhaug .......................................................... 7 Å stå mellom to kulturer: Hvordan overvinne kulturelle barrierer i arbeidslivet? ................ 8 Vellykket inkludering i praksis: Hva kreves av arbeidstaker, arbeidsgiver og støtteapparat? ...................................................................................................... 10 Sosial mobilitet og kulturell tilpasning blant ungdom med innvandrerbakgrunn. ............. 12 Fast jobb er målet. .................................................................................................... 14 Hva skal til for å lykkes i det norske arbeidsmarkedet? ..................................................... 16 Parallellsesjoner .............................................................................................................. 19 Parallellsesjon 1 Hvordan unngå at velferdsordninger blir et hinder for deltakelse i arbeidslivet? Ved Arbeids- og sosialminister Anniken Hauglie ....................................... 19 Parallellsesjon 2 Hvordan motvirke kulturelle og religiøse barrierer
    [Show full text]
  • Theme: Youth, Work and Inclusion
    Portrait Editorial Ásmundur Einar Daðason: Time to Innovation – a must for inclusion overhaul the social safety net News News Students in Danish vocational schools Norway’s blue-green government with a need to expand their vision labour market focus Feb 08, 2018 Theme: Youth, work and inclusion Newsletter from the Nordic Labour Journal 1/2018 WWW.ARBEIDSLIVINORDEN.ORG 1 Contents NORDIC LABOUR JOURNAL Innovation – a must for inclusion........................... 3 Work Research Institute Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Swedish cooperation could half time it takes youths Sciences, Postboks 4 St. Olavs plass, and newly arrived to find work................................ 4 NO-0130 Oslo How private investors could make money from integrating immigrants in Finland..........................6 PUBLISHER Work Research Institute, HIOA, No Isolation – creating new jobs to cover ancient commissioned by the Nordic Council of needs ........................................................................ 9 Ministers. Blueye Robotics: The people's underwater drone bringing knowledge about our oceans .................. 13 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF What is needed to include vulnerable youths into Berit Kvam the labour market?..................................................17 EMAIL Ásmundur Einar Daðason: Time to overhaul the [email protected] social safety net ..................................................... 19 Norway’s blue-green government with a labour WEB market focus .......................................................... 22 www.arbeidslivinorden.org
    [Show full text]
  • 'Tis the Season for ... Comic Books?
    (Periodicals postage paid in Seattle, WA) TIME-DATED MATERIAL — DO NOT DELAY Opinion Travel A belly full of Norway’s new « Om dagen arbeid, og kvelden holiday cheer gjester. Sure uker, glade fester! » Haute Route Read more on page 6 – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Read more on page 9 Norwegian American Weekly Vol. 126 No. 47 December 25, 2015 Established May 17, 1889 • Formerly Western Viking and Nordisk Tidende $2.00 per copy ‘Tis the season for ... comic books? For over a hundred years, special comic books have been published each November to gear Norwegians of all ages up for the Christmas season GLENN FOLKVORD through new adaptions of old movies or char- One-shots adapted from other media What’s inside? Gjerdrum, Norway acters, such as Grandma and the eight chil- appear too; in 2011, the Czech movie Three News 2-3 dren and private detective Varg Veum. Wishes for Cinderella (1973) was re-told in Business 4 In frosty Scandinavia, the Norwegians This year, about half of the 50 different its own photo-comic. Even though the movie have many more or less weird Christmas magazines are Norwegian franchises, but is not about Christmas, it has aired on Nor- Sports 5 traditions, such as watching a New Year’s American comics are well represented, with wegian TV every Christmas Eve for 39 years, Opinion 6-7 sketch on TV on Christmas Eve instead of various Disney titles making up half a dozen. with a single, deep-voiced actor dubbing all Taste of Norway 8 New Year’s Eve.
    [Show full text]
  • Revised Strategy for Combating Work-Related Crime 5 February 2019 Revised Strategy for Combating Work-Related Crime
    Norwegian Ministries Strategy Revised strategy for combating work-related crime 5 february 2019 Revised strategy for combating work-related crime Translation from Norwegian. For information only. Foreword Work-related crime has serious consequences for workers, enterprises and for society as a whole. A good and sound working life in Norway depends on compliance with rules governing working life, while preventing and combating work-related crime. The Government presented its strategy for combating work-related crime in 2015. The strategy was revised and updated in 2017, and it has now also been subject to a new revision in February 2019. The work on the strategy has been carried out in dialogue with the social partners. The Government will combat work-related crime with targeted measures, enhanced con- trol efforts and cooperation between authorities and the social partners. Erna Solberg Prime Minister Siv Jensen Jan Tore Sanner Minister of Finance Minister of Education and Intergration Anniken Hauglie Torbjørn Røe Isaksen Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Minister of Trade and Industry Kjell Ingolf Ropstad Harald T. Nesvik Minister of Children and Families Minister of Fisheries Tor Mikkel Wara Jon Georg Dale Minister of Justice and Immigration Minister of Transport and Communications Monica Mæland Ine Eriksen Søreide Minister of Local Government and Minister of Foreign Affairs Modernisation Contents Foreword ..............................................................................................................................3
    [Show full text]
  • The Norwegian Government's Action Plan Against Racism And
    Action Plan The Norwegian Government’s Action Plan against Racism and Discrimination on the Grounds of Ethnicity and Religion 2020–2023 Extracted Version The Norwegian Government’s Action Plan against Racism and Discrimination on the Grounds of Ethnicity and Religion 2020–2023 Extracted Version Preface Norway is a society of small differences, with The Government wants a society based on trust between people and a high degree of freedom and justice in which everyone enjoys security. This is important to protect. At the equal opportunities, regardless of background same time, racism and discrimination are demo­ and origin. In the Government’s political plat­ cratic challenges that hinder opportunities for form, the Government has reaffirmed our many people to participate in and offer their commitment to combatting racism, religious skills to society. discrimination, anti­Semitism, social control and prejudice based on ethnicity. The Government Racism and discrimination can also be an obsta­ will also implement initiatives to combat dis­ cle to freedom of religion and belief. We see crimination in employment, the housing market racist statements, and negative stereotypes, and hospitality venues (restaurants/pubs/clubs). attitudes and prejudice. Racism and discrimina­ These are some of the topics that will be tion based on ethnicity and religion affect many addressed in the action plan. different groups in Norwegian society. While the challenges they face differ, they also have some A unified Parliament has supported the proposal common features. for an action plan to combat racism and discrim­ ination on the grounds of ethnicity and religion. Racism and discrimination create fear and are This action plan will contribute to renewed and detrimental to the trust needed to safeguard strengthened efforts in the fight against racism and develop positive, inclusive communities.
    [Show full text]
  • THE CALL for MUSLIM SCHOOLS in NORWAY. Paul Thomas
    THE CALL FOR MUSLIM SCHOOLS IN NORWAY. Paul Thomas University College of Southeast Norway Accepted version of article in Nordic Studies in Education. 2017, 37 (3-4), 166-182. This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi: 10.18.261/issn.1891-5949-2017-03-04-04 This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. 1 THE CALL FOR MUSLIM SCHOOLS IN NORWAY The Political Debate Paul Thomas, PhD (Education, King’s College, London) Associate Professor University College of Southeast Norway Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Science Department of Educational Science Tel: +47 31 00 89 88 [email protected] www.usn.no Abstract Using a critical discourse analysis method, this study explores media coverage of six online newspapers and their coverage of the Muslim school debate in Norway in 2014, when permission was initially granted, and then rescinded, for the establishment of a Muslim school in Oslo. The debate is considered in light of differentiation and de- differentiation theories in making sense of the way the authorities and advocates of Muslim schools contend for their viewpoints. It is argued that the government rhetoric, which justifies the rejection of Muslim schools on the pretext of ‘integration’, is untenable for two reasons: the existence of over 200 private schools, of which 72 are Christian, and a growing pattern of ethnic ‘enclavization’ in the capital in the absence of Muslim schools.
    [Show full text]