Beyond Eurocentrism: Challenging the Norwegian model

Norway often self-positions as being on the outside of the history of colonialism and contemporary imperialism. Norwegians are often considered almost intrinsically prone to more equality (Keskinen et al. 2019) and even as exceptional (Eriksen et al. 2024). Norway leads in the green transition, has a large welfare state and a stable democracy. Because of this, the “Norwegian” or “Nordic” model is often considered an ideal model for other countries, especially countries in the global South, to follow.

This project seeks to turn this idea of the “Norwegian model” on its head by exposing its Eurocentrism. By building on Patnaik’s (2022) argument that the Norwegian model is built on global unequal power dynamics and that Norway in many ways “rode piggy-back on the imperialism of other powers whether before or after the Second World War”, this project seeks to expose the exact mechanisms of imperialism that underpin the Nordic model and which render it impossible as a model for all countries in the world to follow. Mechanisms include the country’s access to cheap goods via global value chains which allows the economy to maintain low inflation rates coupled with high wages and near-full employment, the way that the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund relies on emerging market investments to avoid the Dutch disease, the ways in which the Norwegian ship-building industry benefitted from colonial trade, and the extractive role the Norwegian state-owned oil company Equinor has played across the globe.

The purpose of this 3-month internship is to identify and elaborate just one of these mechanisms (decided on in collaboration with the intern) and to co-write a paper with the intern on that one aspect of imperialism associated with the Norwegian model.

The student will co-develop an academic paper with the PI. The tasks of the students will involve 1) developing a research question and strategy to write the paper along with the PI, 2) to contribute to the literature review, and 3) to contribute to the empirical investigation of the paper (desk research). The PI will collaborate with the student on all these tasks and support the student when needed. The student and PI will have semi-regular meetings to update each other on the research. The main goal of the project is to co-publish a paper on Norway and imperialism in a leading development studies journal.

Benefits of the student include:

1. Understanding the development of research questions and the writing strategy for a journal article
2. Gaining experience collaborating on a research project with another academic
3. Publishing in a high-impact journal during their PhD

• Capacity to carry out a review of literature on the topic
• Good writing skills
• Good research skills

Through a journal article

1. Please send your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your interest and suitability to the project supervisor(s). Please contact the project supervisor(s) in advance of submitting the application with any questions.

2. If selected by the project supervisor, the student must then complete the Placement /Internship Application form. This ensures that there is approval of PhD supervisor, and the necessary information is obtained to extend funding (for DTP1 students) or confirm placement requirement fulfilled (for DTP2 students), and to fulfil ESRC reporting obligations.  

Please note:

• Research Assistant Internships must not be undertaken with the student’s current supervisor and/or home department.
• DTP1 students (those whose funding commenced before Oct24): a maximum of 4 Research Assistant internships will be funded. These will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the 4 DTP1 places are filled, we will inform PIs that only DTP2 students are eligible for the Research Assistant internships. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL DTP1 PLACES HAVE NOW BEEN FILLED.
• DTP2 students (those whose funding commenced from Oct24): are required to complete a 3-month placement, which is funded through their studentship. No limits to number that can be funded.
• Reports: at the conclusion of the internship, the student will be required to complete an internship report, which will include a question for the internship host to feedback on the internship.

Contact liss-dtp@kcl.ac.uk with any questions.