Attitudes: Tendencies and Variations

TY - CHAP

T1 - Attitudes: Tendencies and Variations

AU - Lövheim, Mia

AU - Jernsletten, Haakon Haugevik

AU - Herbert, David

AU - Lundby, Knut

AU - Hjarvard, Stig

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - This chapter presents an overview of religiosity and attitudes to religious diversity in media and other public spaces based on a cross-Scandinavian survey conducted in 2015. Although Scandinavians in general have a weak personal connection to religion, Christianity still holds a privileged position as an expression of cultural identity. Scandinavians express support for equal rights to practice religion, but also doubtfulness towards public expressions of religion. More than one-fourth of respondents discuss news about religion and religious extremism regularly. There is a widespread sentiment that Islam is a threat to the national culture, even though most respondents state that they oppose an open expression of hostile attitudes towards foreigners. Political orientation and gender are salient aspects that shape diverging opinions regarding tolerance or scepticism towards the public visibility of religious diversity. Furthermore, Danes and Norwegians are more critical of public expressions of Islam than Swedes.

AB - This chapter presents an overview of religiosity and attitudes to religious diversity in media and other public spaces based on a cross-Scandinavian survey conducted in 2015. Although Scandinavians in general have a weak personal connection to religion, Christianity still holds a privileged position as an expression of cultural identity. Scandinavians express support for equal rights to practice religion, but also doubtfulness towards public expressions of religion. More than one-fourth of respondents discuss news about religion and religious extremism regularly. There is a widespread sentiment that Islam is a threat to the national culture, even though most respondents state that they oppose an open expression of hostile attitudes towards foreigners. Political orientation and gender are salient aspects that shape diverging opinions regarding tolerance or scepticism towards the public visibility of religious diversity. Furthermore, Danes and Norwegians are more critical of public expressions of Islam than Swedes.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Scandinavia

KW - Immigration

KW - Islam

KW - Media

KW - Hostility

KW - Conflict

KW - Public opinion

U2 - 10.1515/9783110502060-007

DO - 10.1515/9783110502060-007

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 978-3-11-050171-1

SP - 33

EP - 50

BT - Contesting Religion

A2 - Lundby, Knut

PB - De Gruyter

CY - Berlin

ER -