ABSTRACT
This article presents the history of Arabic-Islamic studies in Norway,
within the wider framework of Scandinavia and Europe. While
Semitic studies reach well back into the sixteenth century in
Sweden and Denmark, it was only in the early nineteenth century
that the study of Arabic was introduced into Norway with the
establishment of a university in 1811. From their inception, Arabic
and Semitic studies were instrumental in reaching out into the
world as well as in defining the national self-identity. I discuss
these developments and the role and function philology played in
various studies, programmes and disciplines, taking into account
the shifting historical and sociocultural contexts. Issues of
relevance and utility value as well as diverse political and
economic concerns have throughout history formed the structural
frameworks. Simultaneously, however, I demonstrate how
individual motivation and impetus have continued to be of vital
importance to the development of the fields. Finally, I discuss
some of the current challenges and prospects for philological
studies, and argue for the continued relevance for these
methodological approaches.
Source: Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations
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