University of Oslo

A minority is a clearly distinguishable group or category of people who comprise less than half of a national population. Minorities in the Nordic region include the indigenous people the Sami, national minorities, such as Germans in Southern Denmark, immigrants from other Nordic and neighbouring countries as well as further afield, and other groups such as Greenlanders in Denmark.

Nordic governments have been known for their anti-racist policies abroad, but immigration since 1960s has led to debates on issues such as integration, the role of Islam, women’s rights in immigrant communities and so on. To many in the anti-racist movement, a call for equality is not sufficient, since it is often necessary to defend the right to be culturally different in order to achieve true equality.

Anthropological studies contribute new knowledge on Nordic societies and simultaneously offer fresh perspectives on them.