Tradition In Norway Research Articles

Billedtepper fra Gudbrandsdalen og sagnet om Heknesøstrene

An intriguing combination of tapestry weave, legend and myth arose in Gudbrandsdalen in the 17th century. The legend about the conjoined twin master weavers is still living as a local story, and is now being conveyed to an international audience through novels written by Lars Mytting. The legend is tightly connected to a distinct form of tapestry weave, depicting biblical stories and narratives rooted in medieval poetry. The traditional interaction between visual and oral storytelling might be an important key to understanding the textiles. Visual stories told through tapestries have a long tradition in Norway, traceable from the 9th century tapestries from the Oseberg Viking ship grave onto the tapestries from Gudbrandsdalen. The legends about the extraordinary weavers that created tapestries in Gudbrandsdalen provide an extra dimension, linking the idea of conjoined twins as creatures of paradox with the pre-Christian tradition of natural signs that had to be de-coded.

Ledelse mellom sterke ideologier og lillebrorkomplekser – en eksplorerende studie i tverrfaglig spesialisert rusbehandling

Background: Substance use treatment has long traditions in Norway, but it was not until 2004 that it became part of the specialist health service, leading to new leadership requirements. The aim of this study was to understand how the field is perceived from a leadership perspective and how leaders perceive their leadership role. Method: The study is based on three focus group interviews with the mentors of 28 network groups. Data were analysed through systematic text condensation. Results: The analysis resulted in a clustering of four aspects the informants reported to characterise their perceptions of their leadership role: the inferiority complex, values in substance use treatment, pragmatic leadership, and subjective leadership. Implications: The analysis shows that informal hierarchies of power, ideology, and expectations of interdisciplinarity in all decisions provide fertile ground for a flat structure and ambiguity in management. The findings reveal the need for measures to strengthen recognition of the field and develop the leadership role. Keywords: Substance use treatment, leadership, drugs, addiction, health, leadership development

Patterned Silk Weaving in Ancient Times

Patterned silks came to Scandinavia as small pieces of reused material, but they were still valuable for the Vikings to have been used as trimmings on their garments. In over a millennium, the weave structure of samitum in these fragments was used in all patterned silk. In the medieval it was displaced in favor for other structures. It has lapsed into obscurity for weavers today. For several reasons the study of these silks has been difficult. The fragments are fragile. They were not made in Norway. Few have mastered this weaving technique. Is it possible to reconstruct these ancient silks, based on the knowledge gained from studying historical silks and experience acquired from using the structure in modern textiles? This article is about my attempt to do so, and also my reflections of the possible longtime impact on these silks on the weaving tradition in Norway.

Creating a Literary-linguistic Atmosphere: Norwegian Nynorsk Literary Traditions as Inspiring Productions for Children and Youth

ABSTRACT The literary museum tradition in Norway is dominated by a historical-biographical and site-specific approach to museum education. The Centre for Norwegian Language and Litterature, with its three museum departements, has choosen a different approach. By narrowing literature to patterns, ideas, and emotions and addressing current cultural phenomena, new groups of young audiences can relate to the literature. The museum argues that literary museums can reach new audiences by turning education from a historical-biographical approach to a more intangible literary-linguistic approach. This article discuss the purpose, the location, and the didactic approach of five touring programs. The programs show that if museums leave their sites, and site-specific approach, their potential to create different education and experiences increases. Museum education can be both a cultural experience and a learning resource, and this article argues that the cultural experience can be an important part of the education programs by literary museums.

The hidden side of Norwegian cabin fairytale: climate implications of multi-dwelling lifestyle

ABSTRACT In addition to a primary dwelling, having access to a non-primary dwelling for leisure activities is a mass phenomenon with a long tradition in Norway. This paper questions the Norwegian multi-dwelling lifestyle by critically discussing its climate implications. Based on a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews with persons having access to non-primary dwellings, the paper analyzes the mobility pattern and housing consumption pattern of the multi-dwelling lifestyle. Two lifestyle groups are distinguished: traditional, and modern multi-dwelling lifestyles. A discussion of the climate implications of the two multi-dwelling lifestyles suggests that the traditional non-primary dwelling lifestyle is less climate harmful than the modern one. Furthermore, informed by the weak and strong sustainability perspectives, the paper suggests two climate policy pathways in order to raise and enrich the debates on climate-friendly development of the multi-dwelling lifestyle.

Experiences and Needs of Multicultural Youth and Their Mentors, and Implications for Digital Mentoring Platforms: Qualitative Exploratory Study.

BackgroundMentoring programs (ie, programs that connect youths with adult volunteers) have been shown to improve outcomes across the behavioral, social, and academic domains of youth development. As in other European countries, mentoring programs have few traditions in Norway, where interventions for multicultural youths are usually profession driven and publicly funded. Faced with the risk of disparities in education and health, there is a need to better understand this group’s experiences and requirements relative to mentoring. This would also serve as a basis for designing and implementing digital support.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to gain insight into multicultural youth mentees’ and adult mentors’ experiences and needs in the context of an ongoing mentoring program, how digital support (electronic mentoring) might address these needs, and how such support could be designed and implemented.MethodsThe study used a qualitative approach, with data from 28 respondents (21 mentees and 7 mentors). In total, 4 workshops with mentees as well as semistructured interviews with mentees and mentors were conducted. The sessions were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically.ResultsIn total, 3 main themes were identified from the experiences and needs reported by the mentees and mentors. These included a need for connection, help in achieving goals, and the need for security and control. Subthemes encompassed a desire to socialize with others, balancing the nature of the relationship, paying it forward, building trust, sharing insights and information with peers, goal-oriented mentees and mentors wanting to assist with goal achievement, and the fundamental need for privacy and anonymity in the digital platform.ConclusionsThe findings of this study are supported by the literature on traditional mentoring, while also offering suggestions for the design of digital solutions to supplement the in-person mentoring of multicultural youth. Suggestions include digital support for managing the mentee-mentor relationships, fostering social capital, and ways of ensuring security and control. Features of existing electronic health apps can be readily adapted to a mentoring program context, potentially boosting the reach and benefits of mentoring.

The Norwegian seafood industry – Importance for the national economy

Harvesting, processing, and exporting of seafood are longheld traditions in Norway due to its vast marine resources. In the 1970s, Norway became an international leader in marine aquaculture. The seafood industry is of great importance to the Norwegian economy. This paper documents the seafood industry's direct and indirect effects on Norway's economy from 2004 to 2017. We use a national Input–Output model to quantify to what extent the Norwegian seafood industry has created appreciable effects both in the core industries of the value chain, as well as in the supplier industries and other industries through ripple effects. The total contribution is measured in terms of value added (contribution to GNP) and employment (FTE). We find particularly high growth in total value added generated by the seafood industry during the period. However, within the seafood industry, there are different trends associated with development for the value chain of fisheries and aquaculture. The value chain for aquaculture, which includes its impacts on other industries, is the fastest growing part of the seafood value chain, while fisheries show a more moderate growth. Hence, aquaculture became the dominant part of the Norwegian seafood value chain from 2010 to 2013 and onwards measured in value-added and employment, respectively.

Biogas utilisation in Norway

Controlled production of biogas has no tradition in Norway. The country has been lucky to have renewable energy enough for its own consumption and some extra for export. Traditionally people in Norway heat their houses with wood and electricity from hydropower. We are about 4 million people and even today we normally uses 800 000 wood-burning stoves each day during the winter. Annually it is sold 40 000 new such stoves (with a catalyzer). After the 2.nd world war we were sure about that we had enough hydropower for all future -we have waterfalls enough to meet increasing demands of electricity. New houses were built without chimneys and old houses turned out their waterbased systems. Each unit (flat, single family house/home) was heated separately with electricity - a clean, cheap and easy energy form to use. Increasing interest of nature conservation results in actions against development of waterfalls to hydropower plants. The consumption of electricity increased so much that new power cables to the continent, meant for export mostly is used for import. (To day we import more electricity than we export). Unfortunately energy from fossil sources was cheap in this period so normal people, industry and commerce installed chimneys and oil burners/heaters. We produce enormous quantities of natural gas from the North Sea. Most of it is exported to the continent, but some of it is might be used at home. The authorities introduce two great gasfired powerstations to make us independent of energy from other nations (so far stopped because of C02)- This is why district-heating systems was not built until these days in Norway.

Sammen redder vi liv

Training in first aid has a long tradition in Norway. We believe that survival after time-critical events outside hospital can be further improved through systematic training.

Existential group practice run by mental healthcare chaplains in Norway: a nationwide cross-sectional study

ABSTRACTExistential groups run by healthcare chaplains within mental healthcare have a long tradition in Norway. By using a national cross-sectional survey design, this study explored and described both quantitatively and qualitatively these groups’ characteristics. Quantitative data were analysed by descriptive statistics and content analysis inspired by Graneheim and Lundman was used to analyse the qualitative data. The current existential group practice was present in 11 of 25 Norwegian health authorities and across service levels. Five different group approaches, all addressing patients’ existential, spiritual and religious needs and issues, were identified and described. The existential groups were in general eclectic and applied a variety of therapeutic strategies representing group psychotherapy, existential therapy and clinical pastoral care. The findings suggest that this Norwegian existential group practice can be regarded as a well-established and integrated part of the Norwegian mental healthcare. Researchers are challenged to further qualitatively explore this Norwegian existential group practice.

The development and use of CGE models in Norway

The paper describes and discusses characteristics of the CGE modelling tradition in Norway that can be traced back to so-called the Multi-Sectoral Growth (MSG) model presented in Johansen (1960). In the first decades after 1960 the CGE model was mostly used as a tool in the long-term economic planning conducted by the Norwegian Ministry of Finance. The role as a regularly used planning tool is one important reason for 50 years of continuous CGE modelling in Norway. Over the last 20 years the role as a planning tool has been supplemented by an increase in academic research based on more theoretically sophisticated CGE models (still called MSG). The paper describes and motivates the development of new MSG generations, emphasizing international impulses and the influence of other CGE projects in Norway. It also summarizes a selection of studies which illustrate the variety of the application of the model.

Scented grasses in Norway--identity and uses.

BackgroundSome grass species are richer in coumarin and thus more sweetly scented than others. These have been eagerly sought after in parts of Norway, but the tradition has been weakly documented, both in terms of the species collected, their vernacular names, and uses.MethodsBased on literature data and a substantial body of information collected during my own ethnobotanical field work, artefacts and voucher specimens, the grass species are identified, and their uses clarified.ResultsIn Norwegian literature, the tradition of collecting and using scented grasses has received little attention, and past authors largely refer it to Anthoxanthum spp. The tradition’s concentration to the Sámi strongholds of northernmost Norway, and most authors’ lacking knowledge of the Sámi language, have contributed to the weak and misleading coverage in previous publications. Coumarin-rich grass species are well known in folk tradition in northernmost Norway, as luktegress (Norwegian, “scent grass”), háissasuoidni (North Sámi, “scent grass”), hajuheinä (Finnish, “scent grass”), or similar terms. They have been (and still are) frequently collected, and used as perfume, for storing with clothes, and a number of other purposes. Despite literature records identifying the species used as Anthoxanthum odoratum coll. (including A. nipponicum), the main source utilized in North Norway is Hierochloë odorata, both ssp. arctica and ssp. odorata. Anthoxanthum nipponicum and Milium effusum are alternative, but infrequently used sources of material, depending on local tradition and availability.ConclusionBy far the most important grass species hiding behind the “scented grass” tradition in Norway is Hierochloë odorata. Anthoxanthum nipponicum is also used, but much less frequently, and only a single record confirms the use of Milium effusum. Only the foliage of Hierochloë provides suitable material for making traditional braids. The three major ethnic groups in Norway have all utilized scented grasses as perfume and for storing with clothes, but the tradition’s geographical concentration to the far north of Norway (Finnmark and NE Troms), suggests that it has originally mainly been a Sámi tradition, adopted by their neighbours.

Plant species introduced by foreigners according to folk tradition in Norway and some other European countries: xenophobic tales or not?

BackgroundIn their quest to understand and interpret nature, people have frequently sought religious or divine origins for plant species and their characteristics. Less often, historical events or persons are involved. This study comprises eleven cases of the latter kind, all claiming that plant species have been introduced by foreigners or at least from foreign lands.MethodsBased on literature data and a few cases recorded during my own ethnobotanical field work, eleven European examples of pseudo-historical plant origins are presented here, including Cakile maritima, Cicuta virosa, Lathyrus japonicus, Leymus arenarius, Primula vulgaris, and Scopolia carniolica in Norway, Heracleum mantegazzianum and/or H. persicum in Denmark, Phoenix dactylifera and P. theophrastii in Greece, and Jacobaea vulgaris in Scotland.ResultsThe only common trait in these stories is that foreigner or at least foreign lands are claimed as sources of the plant species. In most cases, the “historical” explanations given in folk tradition are demonstrably at odds with reality. In those cases that involve poisonous or potentially harmful species (Cicuta virosa, Heracleum mantegazzianum and/or H. persicum, Jacobaea vulgaris), or the “useless” Phoenix theophrastii, with its inedible fruits, the stories may be interpreted as xenophobic, blaming foreigners for introducing dangerous or worthless species. The remaining examples merely suggest a search for exotic and seemingly rational, if erroneous, origins for plant species and stands that people considered strange and unusual.ConclusionThe spreading vectors assumed in folk tradition are correct and well documented, e.g. ship cargos (including goods and packing materials), which are responsible for introducing ballast plants and other anthropochores, and wartime activities, introducing a broad range of species (polemochores). They do not, however, apply to the species included in this study, which are either indigenous plants or introduced ornamentals. The foreigners appearing in the folk tales serve mostly as suitably exotic explanations for what is perceived “alien” plants.

What happens in Norwegian epidemiological research on mental health? A contemporary perspective

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Gender Quotas for Corporate Boards in Norway

The gender quota reform for corporate boards, first adopted in Norway in 2003 and fully implemented from 2008, has had great repercussions. A wave of diffusion of corporate board quota legislation has swept across Europe, and some other parts of the world. This paper departs from the ongoing European processes of gender quotas for corporate boards being in the making, and examines how the Norwegian expansion of gender quota regulation from the public sector to the corporate world was made possible. The strong tradition in Norway to introduce gender quota arrangements to promote gender balance is emphasized in particular. The paper addresses national preconditions and processes. Central questions are: How does this reform fit with the Norwegian gender equality policy tradition? And what external factors – and institutional tensions – facilitated the policy process? What kind of problem(s) did the gender quota legislation aim to solve? What were the main positions in public and political debates surrounding the policy process? What was the role of policy agency for the result of the policy process?

Market-Oriented Urban Planning – Constraining Citizen Participation

Urban planning in Norway can be characterised as market oriented, with responsibilities for the formulation of planning largely delegated to private developers. Even though the principle of citizen participation has a strong and longstanding tradition in Norway, the market-oriented practices challenge the ability of citizens to influence their spatial surroundings. Based on broad surveys and qualitative case studies, this article maps the attitudes of developers, councillors and planners towards citizen participation and studies the strategies of local community associations. Our analysis shows that developers value citizen participation to a much lesser degree than councillors and planners, which can explain the lack of participatory channels in early phases. Official avenues for participation occur later, primarily through hearings. Local associations find this to be too late, characterising urban planning as a path dependent process; as a consequence, local associations attempt to influence planning processes in a more informal way by contacting councillors directly.

Jon Fosse’s Suzannah: Illuminating Henrik Ibsen’s Genius Partner

Undoubtedly, Henrik Ibsen's legacy endures as a dramatic genius in contemporary Norwegian and global drama. He is revered as a cornerstone of a national dramatic tradition in Norway and as a pioneer of modernist drama. The Norwegian reverence for Ibsen was most clearly marked by (Year of Ibsen) in 2006. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry wrote that Ibsen-aret skal vise storheten og aktualiteten i bans dikting, vise Ibsen som inspirator for kunstuttrykk i var samtid, og mer generelt bidra til kunnskap om og interesse for Norge (Utenriksdepartement 2005) [The year ol Ibsen will show the greatness and timelessness in his work, and show Ibsen as an inspiration for artistic expression in our time, and more generally contribute to knowledge about and interest in Norway], During this year, celebrations happened throughout Norway and also internationally, marking one hundred years since Ibsen's death. This moment was significant for literary studies for it was an important cultural moment for Norway to have an opportunity to highlight the importance and meaning of Ibsen for contemporary Norwegian cultural identity. One genre of literature that has become an important site for contemporary Norwegian authors to write about Ibsen and his legacy is biographical theater (a subgenre of biographical fiction). Michael Meyer's 1964 Summer in Gossensass(Meyer 2000) and 1991 A Meeting in Rome (Meyer 2000), Lars Vik's Lille Henrik (1993; Little Henrik), Robert Ferguson's Dr Ibsens Gjengangere (1999; Dr. Ibsen's Ghosts), Jon Fosse's Suzannah (2004b), and Niels Fredrik Dahl's Henrik og Emilie{ 2006; Henrik and Emilie) present fictional depictions of Ibsen and his life. Surveying these pieces, it is important to note the increasing popularity among authors to depict Ibsen and his life through biographical theater. In Biographical Theatre: Re-Presenting Real People? (2011), Ursula Canton provides a framework for understanding this genre. She argues that biographical theater challenges audiences to pose questions of the drama: Who is telling this story, and whose truth is being told? (Canton 2011, 33). According to Canton, one of the key paradigms that influences contemporary biographical theater is postmodernism. With postmodernism, the emphasis on plurality has encouraged the renegotiation and re-presentation of historical figures in ways that challenge preconceived notions: The influence of social environments on human lives has put the idea that the self has absolute boundaries into question, an aspect that is often more visible in theatrical rather than written biographies, since the latter tend to evolve more strongly around a single, outstanding individual. Sometimes tins opening of the concept of identity towards influences front the outside even leads to doubts whether a coherent core of identity exists at all. (Canton 2011, 36) Postmodern biographical theater challenges such boundaries and as a result, causes audiences to question the stability of truth or of a grand narrative about a historical figure. Biographical theater is a genre that provides the opportunity for authors to challenge or question the status of historical figures or the lenses through which society has viewed these figures. The following discussion will focus on one work of biographical theater on Henrik Ibsen, Jon Fosse's Suzannah (Fosse 2004b). The play pi esents a fictional representation of the relationship between Henrik Ibsen and his wife, Suzannah Thoresen Ibsen. Suzannah premiered on January 1, 2004, on the television channel NRK i after the king's annual New Year's speech. The production starred Wenche Foss as the old Suzannah, Ane Dahl Torp as the young Suzannah, and Hildegrunn Riise as the middle-aged Suzannah. The production was directed by Berit Nesheim (Suzannah--Ibsens kvinne). As Fosse wrote on the title page of the published edition of Suzannah, the play consists of Monologisk for tre skodespelarar (2004b, 79) [Monologues for three actors]. …

Cremation in Norway: regulation, changes and challenges

ABSTRACT In this article, I explore the development of modern cremation and cremation events in Norway. I focus on the multiple ontologies of cremation events and the relationships between the living mourners and the dead during the gradual transformation of the social person within Christian, secular as well as Hindu traditions in Norway. Within Christian tradition, this is a linear process that I intentionally contrast with the predominantly cyclical process within the Hindu tradition. I illustrate how various cosmological, eschatological, soteriological, economical, environmental, as well as socio-political factors regulate and shape the form and content of cremation events and disposal in Norway.

Attitudes of Norwegian ptarmigan hunters towards hunting goals and harvest regulations: the effects of environmental orientation

Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) hunting has long traditions in Norway. It is often assumed that hunters are more consumptively and less conservation oriented than other recreational groups. Considering the large numbers of hunters and the popularity of the sport it is more likely that hunters value both consumptive and appreciative aspects and represent diversity in their concern for the environment. In this study we surveyed 2,717 ptarmigan hunters to examine environmental orientation, and the effects of environmental orientation on different management regulations. Results showed that environmental concern is a discriminating factor for how the hunters rate hunting goals, harvest regulation measures, and acceptance of protecting parts of the bird populations in refuges. Increasing environmental concern is positively correlated with higher acceptance of regulatory management actions aimed at preserving the resource. Socio-demographic variables had limited effect on the relationship between environmental concern and attitudes toward management. Small game management needs to balance consumptive and appreciative experience dimensions, and degree of environmental orientation may be an indicator of acceptance of management actions.

Moulds contaminants on Norwegian dry-cured meat products

Dry-cured meat production has a long tradition in Norway. However, uncontrolled mould growth on the surface of the dry-cured meat products is causing significant quality problems. As some moulds are mycotoxigenic, their growth on the dry-cured meat products could also pose a serious health risk. Such quality problems and potential health risks can be better handled if the types of moulds growing on the products are known. In total, 161 samples were collected from the ripening and packaging stages of production with the aim of identifying moulds contaminating smoked and unsmoked Norwegian dry-cured meat products. Moulds were isolated either by transferring aerial mycelium of each visible mould colonies on the products or by directly plating pieces of meat on suitable agar media. The isolates were identified at a species level by a polyphasic approach. In total, 264 isolates belonging to 20 species and four fungal genera were identified. The genus Penicillium covered 88.3% of the total isolates. This genus contributed to the isolates of smoked and unsmoked products by 91% and 84% respectively. Penicillium nalgiovense was the dominant species isolated from both smoked and unsmoked products and covered 38% of the total isolates. Penicillium solitum and P. commune were the next most frequently isolated species with a contribution of 13% and 10% respectively. Species of Cladosporium and Eurotium contributed to the total isolates by 6% and 4.9% respectively. Smoking seems to affect the growth of these dominating species differently. An increase in the isolation frequency of P. nalgiovense accompanied by the reduction in the occurrence of P. solitum, P. commune and species of Cladosporium was observed on smoked products. The survey showed that the species of Penicillium are associated with Norwegian dry-cured meat products in general. Penicillium nalgiovense, the dominating mould species, is a potential producer of penicillin and its presence could represent a threat to allergic consumers.