The Poster
Scientific research as industrial progress and a corporative development
It is an established fact that societal conditions and structures of power have been entangled with research regarding indigenous peoples and shaped the conditions for governance. But one should also have a closer look at the ways research might have had an impact on governance and policy practices. The relations between the Norwegian society and the Sámi people in the period 1850-1980 provide evidence as to how research serves national priorities and common conventions.
Research was supposed to stimulate the use of new technology and forward industrial development, the authorities promised economic growth all over the country. But the development was solely based upon Norwegian ideas of efficiency and modernity.
This poster from 1945 presents the visions of the Norwegian Welfare State after the Second World War. Research was supposed to stimulate the use of new technology and advocate industrial development, with the authorities promising economic growth over the entire country. But the development was solely based upon Norwegian ideas of efficiency and modernity. The industrialization of the fisheries in the 1960s had dire consequences for the coastal Sámi and their resource base. Furthermore, the introduction of agricultural science and market economic goals regarding Sámi reindeer herding led to severe conflicts in terms of governance. Today, the poster reminds us that ‘Progress’ came with a price to be paid by the indigenous members of the Norwegian state.
Election poster: “Vi bygger fremtidens Norge” («United we build the future of Norway»). Det Norske Arbeiderparti 1945 (Norwegian Labour Party).
