July 17, 2020

Dr. Kristín Loftsdóttir on Racism, Nordic Exceptionalism & Whiteness in Iceland – Ep. 66

1 hour 34 minutes

I had the pleasure to speak with Kristín Loftsdóttir, a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Iceland. Her research has focused on migration, whiteness, gender, racism, Nordic exceptionalism, postcolonialism and crisis, basing on work in Iceland, Niger and Belgium.

Published Work by Kristín

Loftsdóttir is currently leading the project Creating Europe through Racialized Mobility (CERM) that received a grant from the Icelandic Center of Research and has actively participated in various other international collaborations and projects. Loftsdóttir’s most recent publication is the monograph Crisis and Coloniality at Europe’s Margins: Creating Exotic Iceland (Routledge, 2019).

Her co-edited books include Messy Europe: Crisis, Race and Nation State in a Postcolonial World (Berhahn, 2018) and Whiteness and Postcolonialism in the Nordic Region (Farnham: Ashgate, 2012). Loftsdóttir’s research has also been published in journals such as Ethnos, European Journal for Women’s Studies, Social Anthropology, and Identities and Social Identities.

How I found Kristín’s work?

As I had mentioned in my last episode, I found one of Kristín’s publications via a Google search when I was trying to find out more about white supremacy in Iceland. After reaching out to Kristín about setting up an interview, she sent me some more of her published articles for me to read before we met.

I gobbled up these articles because I was learning so much about history in Iceland that I was completely unaware of. I wouldn’t be surprised if many Icelanders feel the same after listening to Kristín. During our talk we hit on a lot of different aspects of the concept of whiteness, Nordic Exceptionalism, and racism in Iceland. I learned a lot during this interview and I hope you do too.

Before you listen to our talk, I encourage you to go into this with an open mind and heart. Racism is a sensitive topic and it does make people uncomfortable. If you find that you are uncomfortable, let yourself sit with that and ask yourself why. It is not easy to explore those feelings but you might gain more insight about yourself if you do.

Questions I Asked Kristín Loftdóttir’s About Racism, Whiteness & Nordic Exceptionalism in Iceland

Can you share a bit about your background and what made you interested in becoming an anthropologist?

What made you gravitate toward researching and writing about racism, the concept of witness and Nordic Exceptionalism in Iceland?

How has your work been received by Icelanders and those outside of Iceland?

In your publication titled, “The Exotic North: Gender, Nation Branding, and Postcolonialism in Iceland”, you write about how Iceland historically has taken a gendered approach to advertise the nation and has also tried to distinguish themselves from other former colonies. The words “exotic”, “authentic”, “pristine”, have been associated with Iceland, which plays on Can you talk a bit about the approach that has been taken?

I think one of the most interesting things I learned while reading your publications is about Icelanders pushing to be seen as part of the nations that are “masculine, white and civilized” and not associated with other former colonies that have been looked down on as savages and uncivilized. Can you talk about what role that played in Iceland’s fight for independence and what impact it might be having on how Icelanders today view themselves in comparison to other countries?

The book the “Ten Little Negro Boys”, which displays little Black boys who are drawn as racist caricatures and features them being brutally killed, was published in Iceland in 1922. When it was set to be republished in 2007, a hot debate erupted about whether it was racist or not. What were your thoughts about this situation as you saw how some Icelanders were defending it while some others were in agreement that it should not be republished?

As multiculturalism in Iceland increases, talks about the effect on Icelandic culture come up. Do you think that some of the concerns have to do with how the view of Iceland by the outside world might shift to a less than favorable one because Iceland’s “whiteness” is changing?

After George Floyd’s murder by a police officer in the U.S., there was a gathering in Reykjavík to show solidarity with Black Americans and to condemn his brutal killing. I’ve seen people who live in Iceland come out to talk about their experiences of racism or discrimination here. I know it is pretty early on but have you been noticing any reactions to these stories or any self reflection happening by “white” Icelanders when they hear these stories?

The idea that since Iceland had nothing to do with colonialism and is therefore exempt from the legacy of racism, which in essence makes the country innocent, is something that really stuck out to me in your publication, “ Belonging and the Icelandic others: Situating Icelandic Identity in a Postcolonial Context.” All the while, media outlets in Iceland have published racist ideas coming from other European countries over the years without, what it seems, much protest from the population. Do you think Icelanders can break through this idea of exceptionalism and take a critical view of their role in perpetuating “whiteness” as good. If so, what steps do they need to take to do that?

What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase?

Books by Kristín Loftsdóttir

Crisis & Coloniality at Europe’s Margins: Creating Exotic Iceland

Whiteness & Postcolonialism in the Nordic Region

Resources to be Anti-racist

“How to be Antiracist” book

A list of many different books, documentaries, podcasts and organizations to learn about being antiracist and to support this movement.

As always, I appreciate those that have taken the time to listen to this. I am especially grateful those that are taking action to fight for an equal and just society for all.

I hope you enjoyed listening to this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast. If you think someone else will find this episode interesting and/useful please share it. My newsletter is dedicated to sharing even more fascinating information about Iceland.

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