Are We Really That Much Better Than the Americans?

I am both shocked and concerned about important aspects of the policies introduced by the new American administration. But sometimes, we might need to take a look in the mirror ourselves: Professor Ola H. Grytten in Nationen. Photo: pexels (Jonathan Petersson)
I am both shocked and concerned about important aspects of the policies introduced by the new American administration. But sometimes, we might need to take a look in the mirror ourselves: Professor Ola H. Grytten in Nationen. Photo: pexels (Jonathan Petersson)
Opinion Piece

20 March 2025 08:28

Are We Really That Much Better Than the Americans?

Agriculture is a core value in itself because we all need food. But sometimes, we should take a hard look in the mirror before criticizing others.

I am both shocked and concerned about important aspects of the policies introduced by the new American administration. What worries me most is the lack of support for Ukraine, the mass layoffs of public employees with almost no warning, and the withholding of aid to those who need it most in the global community.

Daniel Vasconcellos Archer Duque

The Long-Term Effects of Educational Policies

On Monday 31 March 2025 Daniel Vasconcellos Archer Duque will hold a trial lecture on a prescribed topic and defend his thesis for the PhD degree at NHH.

In this regard, I align with most Norwegians. We do not understand the motivation behind Donald Trump’s policies and strongly disagree with much of it.

But sometimes, we might need to take a look in the mirror ourselves. Let me give a few examples.

For a long time, we have criticized Republicans for voter suppression, that is, making it harder for citizens to vote.

The main complaint has been their efforts to require voter ID and to limit early voting periods. We view these measures as oppressive and damaging to democracy—when they happen in the United States. But not when the exact same rules apply in Norway.

In Norway, we also require ID to vote, and we also have time restrictions on early voting, both for good reasons. So why are these sensible, well-founded measures in Norway considered malicious and anti-democratic in the U.S.?

Another issue that deeply moves us is seeing undocumented immigrants in the U.S. being detained for deportation. We witness families in utter desperation, being thrown out of the country, and we condemn it in the strongest terms.

But what do we do in Norway? Well, Norwegian police arrest refugees who lack a valid residence permit, they are detained and deported by the hundreds, even thousands. Yet, suddenly, when it happens here, it is perfectly understandable.

The op-ed was first published in Nationen on March 4, 2025.

Read the full op-ed here.

From NHH to a prestigious postdoc in economics

PhD candidate Paula Navarro Sarmiento has secured a postdoctoral position at CEMFI in Madrid, one of Europe’s top research institutes in economics.