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"Alle grønlændere drikker jo" - En undersøgelse af synet på grønlandske alkoholikere i Danmark

Hemmet, Bastian Mollerup LU (2015) SANK02 20151
Social Anthropology
Abstract
The minority of Greenland Inuit in Denmark has long been object of prejudice concerning alcohol abuse and general low social standards. Due to the colonial history between Greenland and Denmark and the subsequent decades as an actual part of the Danish kingdom, much of this is caused by Danish structural adjustments. Even though the general level of drinking among the population of Greenland has declined, and a vast majority of the minority in Denmark is well-functioning, there is still an existing expectation of uncontrolled drinking. Based on interviews, observations and earlier research on the topic, I argue that stigmatization and symbolic violence based on a general Danish perception of Greenland is an active factor legitimizing and... (More)
The minority of Greenland Inuit in Denmark has long been object of prejudice concerning alcohol abuse and general low social standards. Due to the colonial history between Greenland and Denmark and the subsequent decades as an actual part of the Danish kingdom, much of this is caused by Danish structural adjustments. Even though the general level of drinking among the population of Greenland has declined, and a vast majority of the minority in Denmark is well-functioning, there is still an existing expectation of uncontrolled drinking. Based on interviews, observations and earlier research on the topic, I argue that stigmatization and symbolic violence based on a general Danish perception of Greenland is an active factor legitimizing and reproducing substance abuse among the Inuit of Denmark. I do this mainly by using theories of Erving Goffman and Pierre Bourdieu complemented by Michel Foucault. I conclude that the presentation of the Greenland minority is highly biased by the perception of heavy drinking in the group, and that the stigmatization leads to subconscious symbolic violence by the average Danish population. This in the end affects the behavior and drinking patterns of socially burdened Inuit in Denmark. (Less)
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author
Hemmet, Bastian Mollerup LU
supervisor
organization
course
SANK02 20151
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
social anthropology, Inuit, Stigma, Symbolic violence, Abuse, Greenland, Alcoholism, Alcohol
language
Danish
id
7867846
date added to LUP
2015-09-21 15:31:21
date last changed
2020-09-09 12:06:46
@misc{7867846,
  abstract     = {{The minority of Greenland Inuit in Denmark has long been object of prejudice concerning alcohol abuse and general low social standards. Due to the colonial history between Greenland and Denmark and the subsequent decades as an actual part of the Danish kingdom, much of this is caused by Danish structural adjustments. Even though the general level of drinking among the population of Greenland has declined, and a vast majority of the minority in Denmark is well-functioning, there is still an existing expectation of uncontrolled drinking. Based on interviews, observations and earlier research on the topic, I argue that stigmatization and symbolic violence based on a general Danish perception of Greenland is an active factor legitimizing and reproducing substance abuse among the Inuit of Denmark. I do this mainly by using theories of Erving Goffman and Pierre Bourdieu complemented by Michel Foucault. I conclude that the presentation of the Greenland minority is highly biased by the perception of heavy drinking in the group, and that the stigmatization leads to subconscious symbolic violence by the average Danish population. This in the end affects the behavior and drinking patterns of socially burdened Inuit in Denmark.}},
  author       = {{Hemmet, Bastian Mollerup}},
  language     = {{dan}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{"Alle grønlændere drikker jo" - En undersøgelse af synet på grønlandske alkoholikere i Danmark}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}