The Art of Not Belonging – A Textual Analysis of Identity Construction in Contemporary Norwegian Literature

Abstract: The aim of this thesis is to investigate how identity construction is expressed in contemporary Norwegian literature written by the offspring of migrants, and thus contribute to the existing body of research on identity construction in academic literature. This is done by exploring which processes are important in the process of identity construction and through the application of a theoretical framework. The framework both makes use of the concepts of ‘othering’, identity, ethnicity, and ‘culture’, as well as it raises a discussion of how intersectionality theory functions as a broader analytical frame in this study.The analysis examines how identity construction is seen in two anthology books, making use of textual analysis supported by the theoretical framework. What the analysis shows is that ‘othering’, the grouping of ‘us’ and ‘them’, as well as ethnicity play a large role in howidentities are constructed. The empirical material provides us with a representation of theseidentity constructions, and leads to a debate on whether the processes of ‘othering’ and social categorisation work in one way only, or if it is a more complex process – as well as what this ‘othering’ might lead to concerning the question of finding belonging or community in being ‘other’.