Norwegian self-image as anti-racist makes the racism accusation deeply destabilizing

Evidence

‘Racist’ has become a ‘deadly word’ – to borrow a metaphor from Favret-Saada (1980). It pierces the heart of the well-meaning Scandinavian whose cherished identity is that of world champion of all that is kind and good. Norway, the richest of the Scandinavian nations, is the most generous dispenser of aid to the developing world (measured per capita), and its humanitarian organizations have a long and venerable history. These are just some of the indices of an ethos that places a very high value on kindness, goodness, and charity. Add that belief in the equality of all human beings, irrespective of gender, age, and other factors, undergirds Scandinavian societies, and it is more understandable why ‘racist’ would strike so hard. — Sherene Razack, Casting Out, 275

Categorization

• XREF: Directly echoes the earlier summary claim about Norway’s post-independence identity as generous savior and the catch-22 of gratitude.