Elites in an egalitarian society

An important question the project seeks to answer is whether Norway really is such a «special case» when it comes to classes and elites as popular, as well as professional opinions and perceptions of Norway as a particularly egalitarian society seem to i ndicate, and what this particularity may be. Some main results from the project will be disseminated in a book, initiated by the project and published by Universitetsforlaget this autumn. The book as a whole gives an image of classes and elites in Norway that in many ways corrects and shades the perception of "egalitarian Norway". Even though inequalities in wages and incomes in Norway are regulated and held at bay by a well-developed system of industrial relations, the economic elites seem to get ever r icher and more powerful. And the economic elite not only distinguishes itself in economic terms, but also when it comes to residential patterns and politics. And while the political elite historically probably has been the most open elite in the Norwegian field of power in terms of recruitment, access to top political positions seem more and more dependent on a strongly privileged class background, where cultural capital grows in importance. At the apex of the class hierarchy there are also enduring and s table family-dynastic features in the recruitment to and circulation between elite professions and prominent positions, and in some professions, as the legal profession, such features are increasingly associated with an income elite internal to the profes sion. Contrary to contentions that it does not exist in Norway, a cultural elite is also identifiable, that both apprehends its elite status and is concerned with correcting what they perceive as twisted popular media images of who they are and what they are doing. On the other hand, to claim an elite status, or to be identified as an elite seems far more bothersome in the cultural field than in others, as e.g. the economic or sport fields. However, the experience that it may be bothersome, does not mean that they are not conscious of their cultural resources and not willing to draw clear boundaries between themselves and others, based on this status situation. Also the administrative elite recognizes its elite status, while having many reservations abo ut placing themselves in the elite category. However, contrary to the cultural elite, they are not so much concerned with the way they are portrayed in popular mass media, but rather with their power and importance in the formulation and execution of poli tical decisions. In this respect the administrative elite in Norway may stand somewhat apart, compared with equivalent elites in France and UK, but they are as convinced as their French and British colleagues that they have come as far as they have got b ecause they are the ?cleverest in their (school)class?. What they also have in common, is that they are very concerned about not distinguishing themselves from ?ordinary people? in their everyday lives. So neither in this area Norway stands out as very pa rticular, in ways that can be associated with a particularly egalitarian cultural mandate. Which does not mean that this mandate does not exist or is not effective, but rather that such a mandate is present and effective in most countries, in various ways and with varying strength.

The purpose of this project is to extend our knowledge about the elites in an egalitarian society like Norway. This involves addressing empirical questions, as well as theoretically and methodologically based discussions about the understanding of social inequality in contemporary societies. Three main questions are addressed: Firstly, the project will examine patterns of elite recruitment; does this level consist of separate elites or a common class? Do the various elite groupings vary with respect t o degree of openness? Secondly; in what parts of the elites is the reproduction of elite positions from one generation to the next at its strongest? Thirdly, and given the centrality of the state and the state apparatus; how are the bureaucratic elites r ecruited? While not aiming at a large-scale comparative analysis, the questions we address and the analyses we plan to undertake will necessarily also be informed by, and compared to the results from recent European elite studies. Where does Norway place itself compared to other European countries along these dimensions? Trying to answer this question requires a broad analysis of processes of social stratification, class and elite formation, and a main ambition is also to contribute to an analysis of th ese fundamental characteristics of the present Norwegian society. The outlined proposal will make it possible both to establish a more permanent and internationally leading Norwegian research group in this field, to further develop international collabo ration, and to recruit a new generation of researchers to this highly important research area. Furthermore, the questions raised in this project will not only provide further insight into social stratification in general, and knowledge about society's m ost privileged and powerful strata in particular. Also, the project will improve the understanding of the workings of social power, and in consequence also the basis for a democratic societal organisation