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Ongoing project

Downplaying difference? How ethnic minorities navigate discrimination in Norway (NAVIGATE)

Project period 2021–2025
Project nr. 10473 // NFR: 313682
Project leader Julia Orupabo

Purpose and Research Questions 

This research project provides systematic knowledge about the consequences of ethnic discrimination for minorities’ choices and opportunities in the Norwegian labor market. Previous research on ethnic discrimination has offered important insights into employers’ decisions and attitudes. But what are the consequences for those who are potentially affected by discrimination? How do individuals with minority backgrounds handle experiences of – or expectations about – encountering discrimination in Norwegian working life? We addressed three overarching questions:

  • Do experiences with and expectations of discrimination influence how minorities present themselves during job applications – do they downplay or conceal their minority background?
  • To what extent do employees with minority backgrounds have the same opportunities as their majority colleagues to develop their careers, and how do they experience and manage discrimination after being hired?
  • What are the consequences of different strategies for navigating discrimination in terms of individuals’ subjective sense of opportunity and minorities’ actual career outcomes?

The project was organized into three work packages. Based on experimental and qualitative data, the first work package focused on the job application phase and explored the relationship between visible differences (skin color, religious garments) and the strategies minorities use to avoid discrimination. Using quantitative data, the second work package examined the transition from higher education to the labor market and investigated whether changing to a Norwegian-sounding name affects minorities’ labor market outcomes. The final work package combined qualitative and quantitative data to study ethnic inequality in mobility and income, as well as experiences of discrimination after employment.

The project’s final report, Downplaying Difference, summarizes findings and publications.

Project Bank (NFR)

Downplaying difference? How ethnic minorities navigate discrimination in Norway – Poject Bank (forskningsradet.no)

Data protection

The rights of those we process information about are described in our privacy statement under Your rights. For more information, see Privacy and ethics in our research. For questions about the processing of privacy information in this project, contact ISF's privacy representative.

Participants

ParticipantDegree PhoneE-mail
Marjan Nadim Research Professor +47 916 09 108 marjan.nadim@samfunnsforskning.no
Julia Orupabo Research Professor +47 976 66 787 julia.orupabo@samfunnsforskning.no
Janis Umblijs Affiliated Researcher +47 925 27 810 janis.umblijs@samfunnsforskning.no
Ida Drange (OsloMet)
Håvard Helland (OsloMet)
Arnfinn H. Midtbøen (UIO)
Jonas Kunst (UIO)
Aino Petterson (UIO)

Publications

  • Nadim, Marjan & Orupabo, Julia (2025). How do minorities decide what is racist? Dealing with unease through interpretations and strategic action. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 52(1), p. 183–200. doi: 10.1080/1369183x.2025.2547868. Full text in Research Archive
  • Drange, Ida; Røberg, Karl Ingar Kittelsen & Helland, Håvard (2025). How do second-generation ethnic minority professionals navigate towards higher-earner segments? Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. doi: 10.1080/1369183X.2025.2535447. Full text in Research Archive
  • Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen & Orupabo, Julia (2025). Ambivalent mangfold: Jobbsøkeres tolkninger av bedrifters mangfoldssignaler. Norsk sosiologisk tidsskrift. 9, p. 1–15. doi: 10.18261/nost.9.1.2. Full text in Research Archive
  • Petterson, Aino Lilja & Kunst, Jonas R. (2025). Understanding Diversity in Norway: Ethnicity, Gender, Religion, and Social Class, Handbook of Diversity Competence - European Perspectives. Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-69308-3. Full text in Research Archive
  • Drange, Ida; Helland, Håvard & Hermansen, Are Skeie (2024). Unionization, licensure and workplace variation in pay inequality between immigrants and natives. Socio-Economic Review. 22(2), p. 701–736. doi: 10.1093/ser/mwad075. Full text in Research Archive
  • Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen & Orupabo, Julia (2024). Downplaying difference: how ethnoracial minorities strive for labour market access in an egalitarian context. Ethnic and Racial Studies. doi: 10.1080/01419870.2024.2418413. Full text in Research Archive
  • Umblijs, Janis; Drange, Ida & Orupabo, Julia (2023). Ethnic Diversity and Firm Performance in Norway. Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies. 13(4), p. 39–66. doi: 10.18291/njwls.137274. Full text in Research Archive
  • Thiyagarajah, Mathushiga & Orupabo, Julia (2023). Å spille på norskhet for å få en sjans: Stigmahåndtering hos unge jobbsøkere med innvandrerbakgrunn. Søkelys på arbeidslivet. doi: 10.18261/spa.40.3.2. Full text in Research Archive
  • Nadim, Marjan (2022). Eksplisitt rasisme til hverdags: Unge muslimers opplevelser av rasisme på nettet. In Døving, Cora Alexa (Eds.), Rasisme : Fenomenet, forskningen, erfaringene. Universitetsforlaget. p. 333–348. Full text in Research Archive
  • Orupabo, Julia; Vassenden, Anders & Handulle, Ayan Abdi Mohamoud (2022). Å redde hvite folks ansikt : Ritualer og makt i rasialiserte situasjoner. In Døving, Cora Alexa (Eds.), Rasisme : Fenomenet, forskningen, erfaringene. Universitetsforlaget. p. 318–332. Full text in Research Archive
  • Kunst, Jonas R.; Dovidio, John F.; Bailey, April & Obaidi, Milan (2022). The Way They Look: Phenotypic Prototypicality Shapes the Perceived Intergroup Attitudes of In- and Out-group Members. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. doi: 10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104303. Full text in Research Archive
  • Andersson, Mette & Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen (2022). Rasisme og diskriminering. In Frønes, Ivar & Kjølsrød, Lise (Ed.), Det norske samfunn : bind 2. Gyldendal Akademisk. p. 230–251. Full text in Research Archive
  • Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen (2022). Rasisme på norsk: Begreper og realiteter. In Døving, Cora Alexa (Eds.), Rasisme : Fenomenet, forskningen, erfaringene. Universitetsforlaget. p. 25–41. Full text in Research Archive
  • Kunst, Jonas R.; Kirkøen, Jannicke & Mohamdain, Onab (2022). Hacking attractiveness biases in hiring? The role of beautifying photo-filters. Management Decision. doi: 10.1108/MD-06-2021-0747. Full text in Research Archive
  • Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen & Quillian, Lincoln (2021). Forbigående fenomen eller permanent virkelighet? Etnisk diskriminering i arbeidsmarkedet på tvers av tid, sted og generasjoner. Søkelys på arbeidslivet. 38(3-4), p. 182–196. doi: 10.18261/issn.1504-7989-2021-03-04-02. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA

  • Orupabo, Julia (2025). Nedtone forskjellighet? Etniske minoriteters håndtering av diskriminering i arbeidsmarkedet. Institutt for samfunnsforskning. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA

View all works in NVA

Research topics: diversity, labour market, equality and gender, discrimination
Published Sep. 27, 2021 1:31 PM - Last modified June 11, 2026 3:33 PM