The Limits of Sámi Politics: Inside and Outside of the Sámi Polity

• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel & Pettersen, Torunn (2021). De uregistrerte. Mennesker med samisk tilknytning utenfor Sametingets valgmanntall. In Saglie, Jo; Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel & Pettersen, Torunn (Ed.), Sámi Parliamentary Elections: Identity, Participation, Party Politics. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. p. 67–100. doi: https:/doi.org/10.23865/noasp.137.ch3. Show summary

  This book is a study of elections to the representative organ of Norway's indigenous people, the Sámi. Based on quantitative and qualitative research, the anthology examines various aspects of elections to the Sámi Parliament, both in general and regarding the 2017 election in particular. The nine chapters delve into a wide range of topics, from voter behaviour and election results to more fundamental questions regarding indigenous representation and organizing in Norway. The book covers five main themes. First, Sámi identity and criteria for voter registration. What are considered acceptable grounds for claiming to be Sámi, and what criteria do people use when judging others as Sámi or non-Sámi? When is one ‘Sámi enough’ to qualify for the right to vote? These questions have a bearing on the very core of Sámi politics: who should be allowed to choose representatives on behalf of the Sámi people? Second, Sámi civil society. How do organizations that represent Sámi persons and Sámi interests relate to the Sámi Parliament? Third, voter turnout. How do we explain non-voting in a system where, unlike those for other elections in Norway, one must actively register in advance to be able to vote? And what about the fact that voters in municipalities with fewer than 30 registered voters must vote in advance? Do these circumstances depress voter turnout? Fourth, the party-political landscape. What differentiates supporters of the different parties? Are there clear differences that make it easier for voters to identify the distinctions between the parties? Finally, elections and voter information. Where do voters find information about this election? We look specifically at how parties and voters find each other in South Norway, the largest constituency in the country, and yet one in which Sámi parliamentary elections are rarely covered by the media. Sámi Parliamentary Elections: Identity, Participation, Party Politics will be relevant for everyone interested in indigenous representation and participation generally, and the Sámi democratic system in Norway particularly, especially students, academics, journalists and those who are actively engaged in Sámi politics.

• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2021). ‘Sámi in the Heart’: Kinship, Culture, and Community as Foundations for Indigenous Sámi Identity in Norway. Ethnopolitics. doi: 10.1080/17449057.2021.1932116. Show summary

  The article demonstrates broad variation regarding what is considered to be at the ‘core’ of Sámi ethnicity by different people. The differences are here typologized as kinship-, culture- or community-based ‘foundations’ for Sámi ethnicity. Ideas about individual Sámi ethnicity tended to focus on individual traits more than individuals’ social relationships. This may be influenced by non-Sámi authorities’ focus on individual descendancy, but also by certain aspects of modern Indigenous politics. The article discusses the distinction between relational and individual foundations for ethnicity, pointing to their interconnectedness. It also discusses the difference between genetics and kinship, and potential consequences of a genetics-focused definition of Sáminess.

• Selle, Per; Semb, Anne Julie & Strømsnes, Kristin (2020). Urbanization of the Sámi electorate: An emerging dividing line within modern Sámi politics? Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning. 61(2), p. 101–123. doi: 10.18261/ISSN.1504-291X-2020-02-01. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The right to vote in elections to the Norwegian Sámi Parliament is not territorially delimited. A rapidly growing proportion of the electorate now resides outside the traditional core Sámi areas, and very many live in urban areas. However, the Sámi Parliament has not yet developed a policy that targets urban Sámi, and the body still prioritizes measures aimed at securing the “resource base for Sámi culture” in rural areas in Northern Norway. Do we find deep conflicts of interest between urban Sámi and Sámi residing in the core Sámi areas that eventually might push the Sámi Parliament to put much stronger emphasis on allocating resources to cultural measures aimed at urban Sámi? We use data from the electoral study of the elections to the Sámi Parliament in 2017 and analyze attitudinal similarities and differences between Sámi living in the Sámi core areas of Kautokeino and Karasjok and Sámi living in the cities of Tromsø and Oslo, respectively. We do not find profound conflicts between the two groups of Sámi. Both the urban Sámi and the Sámi in the Sámi political centre appear to be primarily focused on their own situation, but at the same time also have a broader view of the Sámi Parliament’s activities than that based on their own immediate personal interests.

• Saglie, Jo; Mörkenstam, Ulf & Bergh, Johannes (2020). Political Cleavages in Indigenous Representation: The Case of the Norwegian and Swedish Sámediggis. Nationalism & Ethnic Politics. 26(2), p. 105–125. doi: 10.1080/13537113.2020.1754555. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Using Lipset and Rokkan’s cleavage theory in an Indigenous context, the article compares political cleavages in internal Sámi politics in Norway and Sweden. The authors discuss the historical legacies of each country’s policies toward the Sámi and subsequent development of party systems before using survey data to analyze cleavages within the Sámi electorates. The analysis shows a prominent cleavage in Sámi politics in Norway regarding the extent of Sámi self-determination, whereas the main cleavage in Sweden can be found in the category-split between reindeer herders and other Sámi created by state policy. Contemporary cleavages in Indigenous politics may, thus, be deeply rooted in nation-building processes.

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• Pettersen, Torunn (2023). Data to govern (or lack thereof). A structured overview of Sámi (non-)presence in official statistics in Norway, ca 1970-2020.
• Strømsnes, Kristin (2020). Velgere på flyttefot. By og land i den moderne samepolitikken.
• Pettersen, Torunn (2020). Telle eller ikke telle? Samisk-statistiske hovedfaser de siste femti år.
• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2020). Samisk nok? Hva er det å være same og hvem burde stå i Sametingets valgmanntall?
• Pettersen, Torunn (2020). Tall for grenser: Variasjoner i samisk tilstedeværelse i offisiell statistikk – og i samisk politikk?
• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2019). Samehets.
• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel & Olsen, Torjer Andreas (2019). Anstendighet i ordskiftet om og med EDL. Nordlys.
• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel & Olsen, Torjer Andreas (2019). EDL og jakta på «Samelandsbevegelsen». Nordlys.
• Saglie, Jo; Bergh, Johannes & Mörkenstam, Ulf (2019). Political Cleavages in Indigenous Representation: The Case of the Norwegian and Swedish Sámediggis. Show summary

  In response to indigenous demands for self-determination, Norway and Sweden both established a Sámediggi (Sámi parliament) consisting of popularly elected Sámi representatives. The political systems of these two countries are generally regarded as similar. However, the legal bases, electoral systems and party systems of the two Sámediggis vary significantly, and so does their influence and autonomy within their respective political systems. In this paper, we compare the political cleavages that structure Sámi politics within the two countries. In Sweden, the main cleavage is caused by the ‘category split’ between reindeer herders and other Sámi, created by state policy. In contrast, disagreement on the extent of Sámi self-determination seems to be a major cleavage in Norwegian Sámi politics. The left-right dimension appears to be important in Norway, but not in Sweden. This depends on the fact that national Norwegian parties participate in Norwegian Sámi elections, unlike their counterparts in Sweden.

• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2019). Samehets - utvidet foredrag.
• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel & Olsen, Torjer Andreas (2019). Derfor gikk det veldig galt i Selbu. Adresseavisen. Show summary

  Kronikk om organisasjonen EDL og dens rolle i moderne samfunnsdebatt om samiske saker.

• Pettersen, Torunn (2019). Glimt fra tematikken samisk statistikk de siste femti år.
• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2019). Norwegian Academia and the Colonization of Sápmi.
• Selle, Per; Semb, Anne Julie & Strømsnes, Kristin (2018). Politiske rettigheter på vandring. Urbanisering av moderne urfolkspolitikk.
• Saglie, Jo; Bergh, Johannes & Mörkenstam, Ulf (2018). Political Cleavages in Indigenous Representation: The Case of the Norwegian and Swedish Sámediggis.
• Larsen, Hanne; Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel & Josefsen, Eva (2018). Leter etter samer i randsonen. [Newspaper]. Altaposten.
• Eira, Berit Marie Lise & Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2018). Dutket sin geat eai beasa jienastit sámediggeválggain. [Newspaper]. Ávvir.
• Strømsnes, Kristin (2017). Er en urbanisering av den moderne urfolkspolitikken mulig?
• Semb, Anne Julie & Strømsnes, Kristin (2017). Is urbanization of modern indigenous politics possible?
• Renå, Anne Siri & Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2017). Jakten på en sjøsamisk identitet. [Business/trade/industry journal]. LO-Aktuelt.
• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2017). Den samiske medborgeren: politisk sterk eller svak? Nordnorsk Debatt.
• Berg-Nordlie, Mikkel (2017). Raajah - Public Debate on Sámi Electoral Roll Access and Sámi Definitions. Show summary

  Raajah is a database listing articles in online media that contain articulations about who shall be allowed to enter the Sámediggi Electoral Rolls and/or who can be considered a Sámi. The Sámi is the indigenous people of Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. The Sámediggis are the representative organs of the Sámi in Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

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