Seven critical events regarding Islam and Muslims in Norway - Three points of tension

Abstract

The paper explores the development of attitudes and relationships toward Islam and Muslims in the Norwegian public context, as expressed in various central media and research. These processes are captured through analysing seven events decided to be ‘critical’ in the sense of having especial importance for such relationships. The processes evolve back and forth in the tensions between a three poled triangle: right wing extremism, Muslim extremism and what we have termed “extreme universalism”. Very few actors associate to its outer levels, as most social life occurs in between those extremities, where conviviality seems to be an overall direction.