Racism is believed to be the reason behind why so many immigrants in Norway feel oppressed at work, reveals a new survey. Migrants face frequent exclusion from their working community—and this lack of inclusion stems from differences in national or ethnic background, resulting in prejudice.
The study, by working researcher and psychology professor Stig Berge Matthiesen along with colleagues Morten B Nielsen and Brita Bjorkelo, focuses on areas of concern within Norwegian working life and includes reporting on bullying and personal conflict, reports Norway News.
The research found that 5.6 percent of employees in North America and Northern Europe experience bullying in the workplace; with levels double that for workers from minority national or ethnic backgrounds. 22.2 percent of all workers from the Middle East and Africa felt they were subjected to bullying in Norwegian workplaces, although the figure fell dramatically to 8.3 percent for Asian migrants.
“We very rarely talk about serious or aggressive actions, but rather on the contrary, a form of passivity and non-actions, in that people with different backgrounds will be banned from the community, more or less consciously and actively,” Matthiesen says.
The study attributes racism as the driving force behind the bullying, which alienates the victim and makes successful integration difficult. Bullying also revolves around the low-quality jobs held by many immigrants, which can stigmatise the individual.
“Many end up in a very vulnerable situation, where they feel unfairly treated, bullied and discriminated against. If the employees feel that the bullying relates to skin colour or ethnic origin, this must be defined as racism. And if there are strong words spoken, so we must take it seriously and not deny or rewrite what happens,” Matthiesen concluded.
SIR EURO
You did not understand what I said! I read papers, whatch the neews and observe what happened around the corner! The intention is that those people should be better integrated. Why shall we accept people and offer them norwegian papers and benefits if they will not behave like I good guest in this country? My land is my heritage to my kids and my ancestors fought for it to be norwegian. Know way I am going to accept people with such extreme views having influences of our future here. About generalizing and stereotypizing, you may look into your self, cases allways have several and different parts of view!
have trouble to recognize ‘good’ universities ? Google ‘Times Higher Edudcation’ then, they have done a survey about that subject
>I THINK THAT YOU ARE TOTALLY UNAWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN EDUCATION
That might be true, but from the last report that i have read about universities , in a newspaper a couple of months ago: it was an orientation article for teenagers that are going to choose an education path.The first ten universities were alla american and Uk ones…but yes, if you are talking about the 100 best in the world, for sure there are even italian and spanish ones inside.Awww, and just for your information, since you are so well aware of what is going on in education : How big and how many students attend a university is not a sign of how this university is indeed valid.It’s very often just the opposite.
In this world where people pour so much money on the new idol named “innovation”, one should be cautious on value of diplomas.
BTW look at this news, it is about France but could be probably about any other country:
http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/120/article_6089.asp
One third of all scientific results are questionable: http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0005738
On the contrary some of the best ideas in physics, medicine where designed at a time (beginning of 20th century) where universities where poor and life hard.
>SPAIN, FRANCE, ITALY, GREECE AND PORTUGAL HAVE SOME OF THE BEST RATED UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD……this is the joke of the day :about France, maybe you could be right,but now it’s clear where you got your graduation :D
I studied in Bologna (oldest university on the globe) and i would absolutly not rate it as one of the best universities.Would never send my kids to study there.As often you have no idea of what you are talking about.
BARCELONA AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY, COMPLUTENSE MADRID, SOBORNE PARIS, POLITECHNIC MILANO, ETC… ARE BETWEEN THE 25 BEST UNIVERSITIES IN EUROPE AND THE 100 BEST UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD. ICELANDIC UNVERSITIES ARE NOT EVEN BETWEEN THE 100 BEST UNIVERSITIES IN EUROPE, NOR THE 500 BEST UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD.
THE SECOND LARGEST UNIVERSITIE IN EUROPE IS IN SPAIN ( UNED) WITH MORE THAN 250.000 STUDENTS IN EUROPE AND ALMOST 500.000 THROUGH ITS INTERNATIONAL CENTRES AROUND THE GLOBE. IT HOLDS THE UNESCO CHAIR IN DISTANCE EDUCATION.
I THINK THAT YOU ARE TOTALLY UNAWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN EDUCATION. FRENCH UNIVERSITIES ARE SOME OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD. BOLOGNA MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST UNIVERSITY IN ITALY. but the best universities of these countries are among the best in the world!!
OYVIND, I think that you are GENERALIZING and STEREOTYPIZING, and making the same equation of migrant people in your country. You are putting everyone in the same sac. Foreigners, criminals, bad citizens, etc… There are hundreds of thousands of norwegians who emigrated to USA, CANADA, VENEZUELA, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, and many many other countries around de world. And guess what? they have done everything to try to maintain their cultural heritage. It is, that the will keep being norwegians or scandinavians, no matter if their ancestors came to USA more than 100 years ago!! they will still consider themselves scandinavians that live in USA. They will never EVER totally integrate in society as americans and if they do they will always make reference to their scandinavian ancestry. Look the Icelanders that emigrated to CANADA, because they were starving of hunger in Iceland. They still KEEP THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. Yes, the younger generations today speak english ( thanks God) but they still live mostly in VERY CLOSED societies of their own, maintain their own cultural heritage and even try to maintain just their language. Are they any better or worse than immigrants living in Norway or in Iceland?
To be an immigrant does not make you a GOOD or BAD person. It just makes you an immigrant. There are PUNCHeS of norwegian drug dealers, and icelandic criminals. NATIONALITY has nothing to do with someone being a criminal or not. Do you think that every norwegian who emigrated abroad in the past was a HONEST AND DECENT person?? Do you think that every icelander is a correct citizen in Iceland? Go and visit the jails in Iceland and you will see that icelandic criminals have nothing to envy to their foreign counterparts.
Every immigrant of second generation in any scandinavian country speaks perfectly swedish, danish, norwegian or ICELANDIC. Many new icelanders of foreign fathers speak so well icelandic, sometimes even better than most of icelanders themselves. MOST of young scandinavians of foreign origin are better off because the speak the scandinavian language of the country, english and another “mother” tongue. They are also so wise because the have a very rich cultural bagage, You should learn from them! From people that have travelled, endured difficulties, seen the world, etc…
Most of immigrants are stories of growing, learning, adapting… specially emotionally and from the human point of view. Most of the young immigrants are better prepared to live in a globalized and interconnected world. Their mentalities are MUCH OPEN and flexible than you think. OYSVEN, because you have shown here that you have a very narrow european mentality. You seem only capable to see things from your point of view. Your cultural point of view. Democracy?? I want to laugh. What kind of model of democracy are we going to teach this people? How democratic and GOOD is our democratic system? isn’t it maybe full of **** itself? and commerce of power and influences and corruption? Is our cultural model, our way of life, ANY BETTER than the way of live of immigrants?. OUR european societies has so much **** and injustices and HYPOCRESY in it.
We treat immigrants as dirty, uncivilized, uneducated, unable to follow and respect rules, unable to adapt, etc… What we do is DESHUMANIZING them, taking away from them their quality of HUMAN BEINGS. HOW COME?!!
REMEMBER, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE! independently of their nationality or origin. THEY ARE PEOPLE! And you as a person, and your country or culture ISN’T any worse or any better as theirs!.
Its same all over the world. It all depends on how the workplace manages such behaviour.
Most large companies in UK have a zero-tolerence policy.
Ian.
Some immigrants from specially the east, yells out about racism for nothing! I am glad we have freedom to speach, that allow democraty in our country! I can assure our islandic relatives that you are welcome here in Norway. The islandic people took care of our history in glorius ways. But if you come here you will experience there are people which plants alot of bad seeds, dealing drugs, created violent gangs and some have religious reasons (like jihad) which provocated many norwegians! Some of them are in asylum because of war-actions, we take well care of them, feeding them, give them house, money and justice. But there are so many bad elements creating problems. Either their own society or the norwegian governments do anything to solve those problems. Some immigrants lived here for 20-30 years and still not integrated. They will not learn the norwegian language and they will either not honour the flag which protecting them.
We have like you islanders debates about racism. What is racism? We do not hate people because of their colour, but might critisize their political colour ending up beeing accused as racist`s! I am one of those sceptic norwegians which might beeing accused beeing an rasist! In our country we soon can not beeing proud of our country, history, ancestors without beeing accused as rasists! If so, I tell you I rather stay stuck with the proudness of my country and
if stupid people wish to call me bad things because of that, so be it!
A couple more stories for those of you who still will not admit to the discrimination against foreigners in Iceland. I have had people tell me to take off my lopapeysa and go home, that I do not belong in Iceland. I had to save a friend from 4 guys trying to kick his head in after they asked his Icelandic friend what was he doing with this Fu#$%ng Monkey. I have heard people speak of children from Icelandic and foreigners as “half-breeds and inferior”. I could continue but there is no need. I do not let this obscure my view of the beauty in Iceland.
Some of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met are Icelandic, some of my dearest friends for all my life are Icelandic, and though I was not born there, Iceland is my home. My heart is there even when I am away. However, when a person truly loves something you see it for all that it is. Its beauty and its faults. Iceland is not perfect, no place is. Pride can be OK when it is kept in check. The majority of Icelanders are some of the most wonderful people a person could ever be fortunate enough to meet. But please do not ignore the ignorance and discrimination that many foreigners must endure to live where their heart is home.
>Perhaps IceNews’ comment submission system should include a remote breathalyser check in order to limit SIR EURO’s postings during his less lucid periods…
An all CAPS filter would be better. But my eye does the same. It just goes straight over top of all such posts.
Alexander E did write :
>Norwegians must be blamed for their extreme tolerance and welfare system that attracts so many “immigrants”.
>I juts know that Norway is rated place number 1 among many “refugees” in terms of benefits and how easy to get them.
A. Welfare state plus open immigation = welcome many lazy ner-do-wells.
B. Open immigration plus no welfare state = welcome productive driven immigrants.
Iceland has got this right except though they do have work permits based on a particular company. So from outside the EU a person can be refused residency if they lose their job.
Of course that is wrong.
But Unions arent exactly weak here in Iceland. So that acts as a balance.
Of course there are too many rights for citizens of the EEA countries here in comparison to welfare and the like. But not for those from outside. Even if they pay they taxes they cannot claim unemployment benefit.
The system should be changed to remove work permits from control of any single company. So if an employee leaves the company for another, they are secure of their work permit and dont need to apply again.
Icelanders are less rascist than people of many countries in Nordic region. But no doubt that has as much to do with fact that foreigners here are mostly here as B.
So Icelander experience is mostly of ” good ” foreigners.
There are lazy simple minded idiots in Iceland like every where else. But over all Icelanders are just interested in foreigners and why they have come.
Jimbo (the original Jim) said:
“Perhaps IceNews’ comment submission system should include a remote breathalyser check in order to limit SIR EURO’s postings during his less lucid periods…”
Are you implying that he may have an occasional period of lucidity?
Perhaps IceNews’ comment submission system should include a remote breathalyser check in order to limit SIR EURO’s postings during his less lucid periods…
@ And again : I understand icelandic quite well (my wife is icelandic) so maybe yes, i must have been very lucky not to be discriminated…or blind.Same for my foreigner friends.
@Sir Neuro : come on, don’t be touchy about southern laziness, after all you are not so southern, you are TICCINESSE..don’t you come from Canton TiCCino, don’t you??:D
>SPAIN, FRANCE, ITALY, GREECE AND PORTUGAL HAVE SOME OF THE BEST RATED UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD……this is the joke of the day :about France, maybe you could be right,but now it’s clear where you got your graduation :D
I studied in Bologna (oldest university on the globe) and i would absolutly not rate it as one of the best universities.Would never send my kids to study there.As often you have no idea of what you are talking about.
[…] Read more here: Norwegian immigrants face oppression in the workplace | IceNews … […]
Alexander E.
I assume you have not experienced to be treated differently here in Iceland that you are shutting your eyes and ears on this issues. Lucky you and how unfortunate for me for example, who is just working hard to hell. You don´t know how it felt by hearing these Icelandic co-workers saying: “these foreigners should go back where they belong.” It’s no use then debating such issue with you because in one way or another, you will just get it wrong.
“I will only marry an Icelandic woman, I must keep our blood pure. I do not want to have inferior foreigner blood in my children”
WELL THAT GUY PROBABLY HAS IRISH, FRENCH AND SPANISH-BASQUE FISHERMENS, AN PROBABLY EVEN AMERICAN AND BRITISH SOLDIERS BLOOD TOO… SO I DON´T KNOW WHAT VIKING PURITY THEY TALK ABOUT WHEN THEY MIXED WITH IRISH, SPANISH, FRENCH, AMERICAN SOLDIERS OF ALL RACES.. AND NOW, THE ASIAN EXPLOSION OF ICELANDERS THAT ARE OF ASIAN-ICELANDIC PARENTS…
MIX ALL THAT IN A COCKTAIL.. AND WHAT DO YOU GET??? A VIKING ISN´T IT?
HAHAHAHAH, I LAUGH TO DEATH WHEN I MEET ONE OF THOSE IGNORANTS, MOST OF THEM WITHOUT ANY EDUCATION. I AM FROM SWITZERLAND AND SPAIN AND I THINK I HAVE MORE ARIAN BLOOD MYSELF THAN ALL OF THEM TOGETHER… HAHAHA… IGNORANTS THEY DON´T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HISTORY…
TO START WITH, IF CHINESE WOULDN´T HAVE INVENTED PAPER AND PRINTING, ICELANDERS WOULD BE STILL IN THE MIDDLE AGES…
JOHN: “NEGATIVE BEHAVEIOR” IT IS NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR, JOHN. INTERESTING SEEING HOW I HAVE ALREADY BECAME A MODEL OF REFERENCE ON THIS SITE.. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
DON FRANCO “…was caused by your southern lazy attitude…”
SOUTHERN LAZY ATTITUDE HAS CAUSED SPAIN TO BE THE 9TH BIGGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENT OF PH.D.S IN THE WORLD. AND THE LARGEST AND MOST MODERN SPEED TRAIN LINES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. ALSO NUMBER ONE IN SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY WITH A 300% GROWING IN THE MARKET DURING THE LAST 5 YEARS. ALSO ON OF THE 5 BIGGEST SHARERS IN THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY. HAVING ONE OF THE THREE MOST ADVANCED ASTROPHYSIC OBSERVATORIES IN THE WORLD ON TWO OF THE CANARY ISLANDS. BE ONE OF THE LEADING COUNTRIES IN AEROSPACE, BIOCHEMICS, NANOTECHNOLOGY, AND IT IN EU.
ONLY IN THE CANARY ISLANDS THERE ARE MORE THAN 400.000 UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. IN SPAIN MORE THAN 3.000.000 PEOPLE ARE DOING POSTGRADUATE STUDIES. THE OFFER OF STUDIES HAVE DOUBLED IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. AND YES.. UNEMPLOYMENT, BUT PEOPLE THERE GET PAID UNEMPLOYMENT PENSION IN EUROS AND THEY GET AROUND 1200 ( = 220.000 ISK ) A MONTH, WHILE IN COUNTRIES LIKE ICELAND YOU GET ALMOST THE HALF OF THAT.
EVEN IN TIMES OF CRISIS SPANISH GOVERNMENT HAVE DOUBLED THE BUDGET FOR STUDENTS GRANTS. ANYONE UNEMPLOYED CAN STUDY FOR FREE, ANYONE WITHOUT RESOURCES CAN STUDY FOR FREE AND GET A MONTLY ALLOWANCE OF AROUND 500 EUROS THEY DON´T NEED TO PAY BACK. EVER NEVER!!
SPAIN, FRANCE, ITALY, GREECE AND PORTUGAL HAVE SOME OF THE BEST RATED UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD. ICELANDIC UNIVERSITIES ARE NOT EVEN BETWEEN THE BEST 100 EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES.
FOREIGNERS WORKING IN ICELAND ( WITH ALL THEIR LAZYNESS) INCLUDE UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS ( WHO HAPPEN TO BE PRACTICALLY MOST OF THE BEST TRAINED PERSONAL AT YOUR EDUCATION SYSTEM), DOCTORS ( WHO REALIZE MOST OF THE OPERATIONS AND TREATMENTS ICELANDIC DOCTORS ARE NOT PREPARED TO PERFORMANCE), SPECIALISTS IN MANY AREAS OF INDUSTRY, ETC.. ETC…
SO, ICELAND IS WIDELY KNOWN FOR HAVING A SOCIETY WITH SUCH A SENSE OF SUPERIORITY. A NATIONAL PROUD THAT INCLUDES CONSIDERING LESS ANYTHING THAT IS FOREIGN.
NOW IT COMES TO LIGHT THAT MANY FOREIGN SKILLED WORKERS HAVE LEFT ICELAND. SPECIALLY THOSE HIGH SKILLED. LEAVING THE COUNTRY WITHOUT MANY IMPORTANT BRAINS.
ICELAND IS GOING BACK, AND IT IS OBVIOUSLY PAYING ITS GREED AND AIRS OF SUPERIORITY.
ANY SOCIETY THAT ISOLATES ITSELF CULTURALLY IS ONLY DETERMINED TO AN ABSOLUTE AND INEVITABLE CRASH ( ECONOMICALLY, POLITICALLY, CULTURALLY…)
AND NOW, IF SOUTHERN LAZYNES IS DOING SO WELL, WHY ARE ICELANDERS WITH THEIR “PERFECT” SCANDINAVIAN MENTALITY SO IN BANKRUPT AND UNDEVELOPED??
Then Don Franco, you and your friends have lived very sheltered lives in Iceland or you are completely blind. I have lived in Iceland for 3 years, even my Icelandic friends admit racism towards foreigners is a problem in Iceland. But if you are not on the receiving end of the treatment or you do not understand the language, it can be harder to see.
I do love Iceland, and my friends, but there are many in Iceland, just as there are in other countries, who have strong racist attitudes. A quote from a guy I met at a cafe in downtown Reykjavík “I will only marry an Icelandic woman, I must keep our blood pure. I do not want to have inferior foreigner blood in my children”
Waiting for the photos of the signs “Icelanders are not allowed to enter” :-)
chick, are you Icelander in Norway? Or Norwegian who was treated badly in Iceland? And if not – what the heck are you talking about?
“And Again” (strange name though) – please decide either you represent “us” or “I”. Cause I confused whom to speak to – the crowd or you alone.
But on the other hand you don’t have to bother as you perfectly stated the purpose of your presence in Iceland
So I assume you enjoy the life here :-)
>The same happend in Reykjavik, thanks god I left Iceland.
>, I do agree with Chick, many do prejudice all foreigners
Still whiners! Guys, are you sure that the treatment that you claim to have had received was caused by your southern lazy attitude and not because Icelanders are bad, racists and full of prejudices? Never had a problem while I was living in Iceland and same for the few foreigner friends that i had there.
GOD IN HEAVEN EVEN, REGRET CREATING MAN, SO HOW MUCH ASTONISH DO YOU THINK A MAN GETS WHEN ANOTHER MAN PUT UP A NEGATIVE BEHAVEIOR, I LIVE IN ICELAND AND ITS OBVIOUS THERE ARE REASONABLE AND NON RESONABLE PEOPLE IN ICELAND LIKE IT IS ALL OVER THE WORLD… RACISM IS AN ACT PERPECTUATED BY INDIVIDUAL AND NOT THE COUNTRY ITSELF… I HAVE SO MANY GOOD FRIENDS AMONG THE ICELANDERS, SO I KNOW OF MANY CRASY ONES AMONG THEM BUT ALL I KNOW IS RACISM IS ONE OF THE MOST STUPID IDEOLOGY ANY REASONABLE PERSON WOULD INCOPORATE IN THERE BEHAVIOR, BCOS U ARE NOT IN ANYWAY BETTER THAN THIS PEOPLE…. TAKE ICELAND FOR EXAMPLE,… I WILL NEVER BELIEVE THINGS COULD TURNED TO THE SITUATION IT IS PRESENTLY IN ICELAND, BUT NOW IT DOES.. NO SITUATION IS PERMANENT, EARTH BELONG TO NOBODY, WE ALL CAME THE SAME WAY AND WE,II ALL GO BACK TO THE GROUND SOMEDAY… ADULF HITLER DID MORE THAN ANY RACIST COULD DO IN LIFE BUT TELL ME WHAT HE ACHEIEVED FROM HIS STUPID ACT:.. ALL IS VANITY NORWAY IS YOUR LAND TODAY BUT DO U KNOW IF YOU,LL WAKE UP TO SEE NORWAY TOMMOROW? AND IF YOU CANT WAKE UP TOMMOROW, TELL ME WHERE YOU BELONG? FROM DUST THOU COME AND UNTO DUST THOU SHALL RETURN, NORWAY, ICELAND BRITAIN REMMENBER TODAY IS YOUR DAY, U NEVER KNOW WHAT TOMMOROW HAS FOR U ALL……
[…] Norwegian immigrants face oppression in the workplace […]
“If the employees feel that the bullying relates to skin colour or ethnic origin, this must be defined as racism.”
Wow, so how each employees feels defines what is racism… That should make employment tribunals much simpler: the judge can simply ask the plaintiff how s/he feels about the bullying and then make a judgement. No need for evidence.
Alexander E.
I am not wishing any bad things for Icelanders. I am just wishing they realize the kind of treatment they give to us foreigners here and the treatment they are getting at now in Norway. Don´t you think Icelanders are not included on that so-called survey of discrimination in Norway? Don´t close your eyes and ears on this issue. Or maybe you haven´t read about an Icelander thrown out of store in Denmark for being an Icelandic?
No(r)way! Do you think it is lost as much as mine and yours, balkanson ? ;)
Alexander E…..always showing us your ignorance. I can not even debate with you anymore, as you consistently spout foolishness.
There are many kind and open people in Iceland. However, I do agree with Chick, many do prejudice all foreigners. Once I learned the language I was astounded to hear what people dared to say in front of me when they thought I did not understand. I found that many so called friends were not friends at all. Try it. If you can speak the language act like you do not understand anything, and then listen to what many will say about you. It is worth it to see the look on the person’s face when they have been putting you down, and then suddenly you respond in perfect Icelandic :-)
Norway is a lost country.
Chick you right, I feld it when I used to live in Reykjavik.
[…] Hanna shared Norwegian immigrants face oppression in the workplace. […]
I wouldn’t mind, I had to face worst things here. :)
chick.
Icelanders will do just fine in Norway, so drop your wishes ;-)
That just proves – there is nothing wrong with Norwegians but something seriously wrong with those who come to Norway not live there but get “better life” as they see it.
Norwegians must be blamed for their extreme tolerance and welfare system that attracts so many “immigrants”.
I juts know that Norway is rated place number 1 among many “refugees” in terms of benefits and how easy to get them.
Now, Icelanders in Norway must feel how it is to be discriminated just the way they discriminate foreigners here. They should remember the golden rule if they know it: “do not do unto others what you do not want others do it unto you.”
The same happend in Reykjavik, thanks god I left Iceland.