Even if Norway has said no to the EU, the country is practically very integrated with the Union via the EEA and the Schengen Agreement. Norwegian intellectuals who oppose the EU view it in general through methodological nationalism, normative nationalism, instrumentalism and neoliberalism. Intellectuals who support the EU come with their own biases, such as an emphasis on cosmopolitanism and a righteous based Europe. The opinion of intellectuals matters a great deal, since the intellectuals reflect the prevailing opinion in the society. In order for the Norwegian EU debate to advance, it would be important for the emphasis to move away from the previously mentioned generalizations. L. Pitkaniemi
Explains that the late-2000 recession was mainly due to the fact that politicians, businessmen and economists had forgotten the lessons of the great depression resulting in a moral hazard of overleveraging as big corporations knew that the government would bail them out. The seeds for this economic crisis were already sawn by the stock market bubble in the 1990's that eventually spread into more important sectors due to bad government policies based on neoliberalism. It is important that policy makers see the economic crisis as a possibility and aim at full employment while redesigning the credit system in order to avoid future crises. L. Pitkaniemi
Agder was and is an important industrial and working-class county. Wasn't it in Arendal that the Norwegian Labor Party was founded? Isn't it the case that a number of eloquent agitators, ideologues and strategists come from the South? It's not a guess that Kristiansand is new Houston? This book will help bring work, the workers and the labor movement in Agder out of oblivion. Eight authors take us through working life in Southern Norway between 1500 and 2020.
The history of industrial work in Sørlandet is proud and varied: There was shipbuilding and ironworks operation, steam engines and mechanical workshops, textile industry, breweries and bakeries before 1900. Around the turn of the century, the region gained large jobs in wood processing and the electrometallurgical industry. In the 20th century, these were supplemented by many small and medium-sized businesses. And in recent times there has been another increase, with industrial work in shipbuilding and the oil industry.
This anthology deals with the history of work, workers and the labor movement and also concerns challenges, conflicts and cooperation. As several of the contributions in the book show, it happened that Sørlandet's underclass took a strong stand against the authorities and employers.
Labour, the workers and the labor movement in Agder not only have a past, but also a present. Two of the contributions shed light on current topics such as labor migration in and out of Agder, neoliberalism and trade union work in Agder. The chapters in the book are relevant for both researchers and lay people, not least from the labor movement, from Agder and other parts of the country. - Agder var og er et viktig industri- og arbeiderfylke. Var det ikke i Arendal at Det norske Arbeiderpartiet ble stiftet? Er det ikke slik at en rekke taleføre agitatorer, ideologer og strateger kommer fra Sørlandet? Går det ikke gjetord om at Kristiansand er det nye Houston? Denne boka vil bidra til å hente fram fra glemselen arbeid, arbeiderne og arbeiderbevegelsen på Agder. Åtte forfattere tar oss med gjennom arbeidslivet på Sørlandet mellom 1500 og 2020.
Historia om industrielt arbeid på Sørlandet er stolt og variert: Det var skipsbygging og jernverksdrift, dampmaskiner og mekaniske verksteder, tekstilindustri, bryggerier og bakerier før 1900. Omkring århundreskiftet fikk landsdelens store arbeidsplasser innen treforedlingen og den elektrometallurgiske industrien. På 1900-tallet ble disse supplert med mange små og mellomstore bedrifter. Og i den seneste tida kom enda en tilvekst, med industrielt arbeid i fartøysbygging og oljeindustrien.
Denne antologien tar for seg historia om arbeid, arbeidere og arbeiderbevegelsen og dreier seg også om utfordringer, konflikter og samarbeid. Som flere av bidragene i boka viser, hendte det at Sørlandets underklasse tok kraftig til motmæle mot øvrighet og arbeidsgivere.
Arbeid, arbeiderne og arbeiderbevegelsen på Agder har ikke bare ei fortid, men også ei samtid. To av bidragene kaster lys på dagsaktuelle emner som arbeidsmigrasjon inn og ut av Agder, nyliberalismen og fagforeningsarbeid på Agder. Kapitlene i boka er aktuelle for både forskere og lekfolk, ikke minst fra arbeiderbevegelsen, fra Agder og andre landsdeler.
