National identity is not a fixed entity, and through the parallel processes of globalization, migration, and secularization, more traditional and static notions of national identity appear to be under pressure. The NATION project explores ongoing negotiations of the nation in contemporary European societies, based on the empirical cases of Norway, France and the United Kingdom. Nation building is seen not merely as a top-down process, but rather one that includes negotiations of the nation from multiple actors in different positions of power, in everyday life, the media, as well as state actors.

At the final conference NATION researchers will present insights from our data and analysis on negotiating the nation, drawing on top-down as well as bottom-up perspectives, honing in on the role of the media, providing international comparative perspectives, and foregrounding the roles of religion and religious diversity. The presentations will also address the project's research questions, from their contrasting vantage points, reflecting on the boundaries of the nation, as these are produced and reproduced, in more or less conscious and explicit ways.

The project's findings will be discussed and commented upon by scholars of nation and diversity, from Norway and abroad. Reflections from political geographer Marco Antonsich(Loughborough University), drawing on his extensive work on nations and diversity, will provide important perspectives from beyond the NATION-project.

The conference will end with a panel discussion – Negotiating the nation in Europe today? – which will include researchers from the project, and invited guests, and allow for discussion and comments from the audience. The discussion will be moderated by Thomas Hylland Eriksen (University of Oslo).

Venue: Auditorium 2, Eilert Sundts hus, Blindern (University of Oslo).

Programme

08.45 Coffee/tea

09.00 Welcome (Katrine Fangen, UiO)

09.05 Presentation of project findings: Negotiating the nation (Marta Bivand Erdal, PRIO)

09.35 Top-down perspectives on the nation (Katrine Fangen, UiO)

09.50 Bottom-up perspectives on the nation (Mette Strømsø, PRIO)

10.05 Prepared comments Lars Laird Iversen(MF Norwegian school of theology) and Yan Zhao(Nord University)

10.15 Questions + discussion (moderated by Marta Bivand Erdal, PRIO)

10.40 Coffee/tea

10.55 The media and the nation (Åshild Kolås, PRIO)

11.10 International media perspectives on the nation (Rojan Tordhol Ezzati, PRIO)

11.25 Prepared comments by Cathrine Thorleifsson(University of Oslo) and Julian Kramer (former head of Analysis unit, Directorate of Integration and Diversity).

11.35 Questions and discussion (moderated by Katrine Fangen, UiO)

12.00 Religion, religious diversity and the nation: Conversation with MA-students Sonja-Beate Egge and Brita Brekke, moderated by Marta Bivand Erdal(PRIO)

12.30 Lunch

13.15 Nation and Diversity in the Age of Migration (Marco Antonsich, Loughborough University)

13.35 Questions + discussions (moderated by Marta Bivand Erdal, PRIO)

13.50 Coffee/tea

14.05 Negotiating the nation today?

Panel conversation, with questions and comments from the audience

Moderator: Thomas Hylland Eriksen(University of Oslo)

Panel participants: Mette Strømsø (PRIO), Thomas Lacroix(Université Poitiers), Brit Lynnebakke (NOVA-HIOA), Hanna Asefaw (student, UiO), and Shoaib Sultan (Norwegian Centre Against Racism)

15.15 Closing comments (Marta Bivand Erdaland Katrine Fangen)

15.30 End of conference