News from the Intercultural Centre

Due to a widespread misunderstanding we point out that Alþjóðahús is still open and all our operations fully running, that is the reception and counselling, the Icelandic teaching and the Translation and Interpration Service. All those in need of our services are encouraged to visit us.

LET´S SOLVE THE SUFFERINGS OF THE POOR.

Dear friends,

We invite you to take part in an event organized by The Icelandic Devision of Amnesty International, Saturday, Octoberthe 17th, at 16:00 o´cloc in the center of Reykjavík - Ingólfstorgi On that day people all over the world will unite to protest against unjust and unnecessary poverty.The fight is just beginning – and we demand justice. We need your help!

AmnestyInternational

The Anthropological Society of Iceland

The Anthropological Society of Iceland is starting the annual set of lectures titled CHANGES, PARTICIPATION, RECONSTRUCTION. The first lecture will be hold Tuesday the 13thOctober 2009 at the Reykjavik Academy (ReykjavíkurAkademían) on Hringbraut 121(above Nóatún). The anthropologist Guðlaug Björnsdóttir will give her lecture on the participation of immigrantsin Icelandic politics, with the title: “Are there any? Immigrants and their opportunities within the political field in Iceland.”

The lecture consists of Guðlaug´s findings in her final project for the Masters program in anthropology at the University of Iceland. The project was a qualitative research of the access and participation of immigrants in the political field in Iceland. Guðlaug collected the material through qualitative methods including open interviews and participant observation. The research aimed at pointing out invisible obstacles which are considered likely to hinder the participation of immigrantsin politics supported by Pierre Bourdieu´s theories on social fields.

The conclusion exhibits that there are various obstacles that go hand in hand with Bourdieu´side as of how the individual “habitus” influences the social capital. A lack of certain societal knowledge which is connected to the political landscape in Iceland through the centuries, along with limited linguistic capital makes immigrants marginalized compared to others in Iceland in the political field. None the less, immigrants tend to manifest their own agenda through the informal political field in Iceland on their own accord.