Urbanities,
Vol. 3
·
No 2
·
November 2013
© 2013
Urbanities
61
What exactly is the difference, in your opinion?
Arabs are simply different. This is plain immediately: I don’t even ask about their
citizenship – I see straightaway that they are not Norwegians, while Norwegians are
usually true, pure Norwegians – those I refer to when I say they are Norwegians.
(Female 49)
As the research findings show and as anthropologists who research Norwegian society
suggest (see, for example, Gullestad 2002, 2004, 2005), the dominant nation (Norwegian
nationals themselves) also differentiate between ‘people of their own kind’ and ‘aliens’ on the
basis of ethnicity. Being white and European does not therefore eliminate the migrant tag, which
is perceived as an obstacle to further integration into society.
(Trans)national Citizenship?
Most informants said they currently have Lithuanian citizenship and see no reason to change it to
Norwegian, adding that they would do that if this were necessary on practical grounds. I also
spoke with respondents who had claimed Norwegian citizenship. One argued that Norwegian
citizenship is a must, otherwise you are much less likely to be treated equally. She said:
‘I no longer felt second-rate, like some kind of alien entrant. I now feel I have just the
same rights as you [Norwegians] do, even though I had them in the past as well; after
all, everything that this new passport brings is, in effect, a right to participate in
elections – that’s the only difference. At least that’s how things should be in theory.
But to me personally this was something, you know… now I can demand things and
now they cannot refuse me for any good reason. They cannot simply say ‘oh, I am
sorry; unfortunately this is for Norwegian citizens only’. In fourteen or fifteen years
you receive more than enough shocks like this’. (Female, 32)
This woman also described the emotions she went through before receiving Norwegian
citizenship and just after claiming it. Se said. ‘Well, I’ve always wanted it [a Norwegian
passport], and I waited and waited… and perhaps I never really thought about what would
happen when I got it. When I finally got it, I thought “I’ll throw a huge party”, just like the
Norwegians do [laughs] – oh, for everybody!’ Then, she described her feelings on the day she
was granted citizenship:
‘This was one the saddest days I’ve ever had, actually [...]. I don’t know, at first it
seemed like… like everything is just wrong about Norwegians [...] how did this
happen?… I’ve always wanted to be a European. There is the EU, with Lithuania in
it, and now I’m not really considered a European in that respect. And those
Norwegians around here are drunkards and not very cultured at all. I was very angry.
A wave of emotions came rushing over me and I couldn’t help it. But then one of my
friends, not a true Norwegian herself, told me to take it easy; “You’ll gradually feel
