An Ideology Anlaysis of the Norwegian Labour Party's Manifesto on Integration and Immigration, 1986, 1997 and 2008
Translated title
Social Democracy and Multiculturalism
Author
Strand, Marte
Term
4. term
Publication year
2014
Submitted on
2014-05-30
Pages
76
Abstract
Indvandring og integration er blevet centrale temaer i Vesteuropa, og partier på den radikale højrefløj—som går ind for stram kontrol med indvandring og betoner national identitet—er vokset hurtigt. Meget forskning forklarer, hvorfor disse partier får succes; langt mindre ser på, hvordan de etablerede socialdemokratiske partier reagerer, især i udlændinge- og integrationspolitikken. Ifølge Alonso og Claro da Fonseca står socialdemokraterne i et dilemma, fordi de sociale skillelinjer ændrer sig: Deres vælgere omfatter både en progressiv øvre middelklasse, der støtter multikulturalisme, og en mere konservativ middelklasse, der er skeptisk over for indvandring. For ikke at støde nogen væk har mange partier holdt en uklar linje, hvilket kan have skubbet konservative middelklassevælgere mod den radikale højrefløj. Socialdemokrater bliver derfor beskyldt for at stramme udlændingepolitikken for at vinde dem tilbage. Denne afhandling undersøger denne beskyldning med fokus på det norske Arbeiderparti. Med en ideologianalyse af partiets officielle programmer fra 1986, 1997 og 2009—hvor dokumenterne læses for at identificere grundlæggende idéer og værdier—spørger den, om partiet har nærmet sig den radikale højrefløj i udlændinge- og integrationspolitikken. Undersøgelsen finder, at Arbeiderpartiet trods beskyldningerne fastholder en klar revisionistisk-socialistisk tilgang—en reformorienteret socialdemokratisk linje—og ikke har rykket sig ideologisk i retning af den radikale højrefløj.
Immigration and integration have become central issues in Western Europe, and parties on the radical right—those favoring strict immigration controls and a strong national identity—have grown quickly. Much research explains why these parties succeed; far less examines how mainstream social democratic parties respond, especially on immigration and integration. According to Alonso and Claro da Fonseca, social democrats face a dilemma as social divisions change: their voters include both a progressive upper middle class that supports multiculturalism and a more conservative middle class that is skeptical of immigration. To avoid alienating either group, many parties have kept their position vague, which may have pushed conservative middle-class voters toward the radical right. Social democrats are therefore accused of tightening immigration policy to win them back. This thesis examines that accusation in the case of the Norwegian Labour Party. Using an ideological analysis of the party’s official manifestos from 1986, 1997, and 2009—reading these documents to trace core ideas and values—it asks whether the party has moved closer to radical right positions on immigration and integration. The study finds that, despite the accusations, the Norwegian Labour Party maintains a clear revisionist socialist approach—a reform-oriented social democratic line—and has not shifted ideologically toward the radical right.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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