Hate Speech and Dialogue in Norway: Muslims ‘Speak Back’

Abstract

This article addresses regulation of speech in culturally diverse contexts through a study of interfaith dialogue between the Church of Norway and Islam, using Jürgen Habermas' concepts ‘public discourse’ and ‘post-secular society’ and Katharine Gelber's idea of ‘speaking back’ to hate speech. The analysis is situated in the context of international and national human rights debates and integration policies and the political right's claims regarding the incompatibility between Islam and human rights, in particular freedom of speech. By claiming that Muslims cannot be integrated into Norwegian society because of an essential value conflict between Islam and Norwegian values, the right challenges the legitimacy of the liberal democratic state and its civic integration policy. Correspondingly, the interfaith dialogue which identifies with state integration policy has enabled some Norwegian Muslims to ‘speak back’ to right-wing discourse, and the act of ‘speaking back’ has increased these Muslims' capabilities to publicly identify with human rights at both national and international levels. This furthers their participation in public deliberation and strengthens the legitimacy of the liberal democratic state's civic integration project but raises the bar for the right.