from Part II - Anti-Zionism and the Far Left: The Case of Norway
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 July 2026
The aim of this chapter is to discuss some of the assumptions made when selecting Norway as a case study to understand the modern history of anti-Zionism and antisemitism after 1967 and developments after 7 October. The argument is made that a small country can provide a good site for research about large questions. The chapter looks at the history of antisemitism in Norway in an attempt to explain the strong reluctance against identifying antisemitism in the political mainstream. The original constitution of Norway contained a paragraph banning Jews from entering the country. The background to this is presented. In the discourse that emerged after World War II, antisemitism was naturally seen to be a defining feature of Nazism. The broad reckoning that took place in Norway meant that antisemitism after 1945 came to be seen as something foreign, a dark force that was brought to Norway by external agents. In this way, Norwegians, like many Europeans, found an easy way to compartmentalize antisemitism as something alien.
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