In 2013–2014, the research group studied the conditions for freedom of expression, freedom of expression in a multi-cultural society, digitisation and changing media structures, security, control and monitoring and the conditions for freedom of expression in working life. The results can be found in “”/en/ressurser/publikasjoner-ind/status-for-ytringsfriheten-i-norge-hovedrapport-fra-prosjektet-2013-2014/“>The status of freedom of expression in Norway – Main project report” (2014).

In 2015–2017, the limits of the public space were examined by focussing on hate talk in social media, the caricature debates, freedom of information and confidence in the media, the immigration debate, freedom of expression in the media, freedom of expression in the political arena, ethnic and religious minorities and criticism of immigration. The book “”/en/ressurser/publikasjoner-ind/offentlighetens-grenser/“>Boundary Struggles: Contestations of Free Speech in the Public Sphere” (2017) is the project period’s main and final report.

A number of reports and articles have been published during both programme periods in addition to the main reports, which have been published on the website ytringsfrihet.no. Further, several launches, debates, seminars and conferences were organised along the way in collaboration with Fritt Ord.

Fritt Ord is now calling for applications for funding for a third period because we still want to encourage a broad-based monitoring survey that will urge players to delve more deeply into certain issues that would be especially interesting to explore. It is required that the population surveys be followed up to investigate the status of freedom of expression over time.

The assignment requires interdisciplinary cooperation between research communities, e.g. media and social science research, law, journalism, technology, mass media economy, etc. This can be organised as a consortium or in other ways. The Fritt Ord Foundation would like to sign a contract with an institution that will handle employer’s liability, project management and coordination. Researchers are expected to participate in the ongoing debate on issues of freedom of expression in Norwegian and international contexts. The Monitoring Project is being conducted in Norwegian, and it is assumed that there will be ongoing communications and information activities in the form of sub-reports, open events and a final main report.

The application should contain definitions of terms, points of view, problems for discussion, methods and a list of the qualifications of key individuals. Any collaboration with other agencies and their experts must be documented. Emphasis will also be attached to what the applicants contribute in terms of their own resources, e.g. research, popularisation and communication initiatives. The surveys are to be geared to a collective presentation in the autumn/winter of 2021.

The call for proposals is dated 21 June 2019 and the deadline for filing proposals is 27 September 2019. We would like to sign the contract this November, with project start-up on 1 January 2020.

Contact: Bente Roalsvig, project director and deputy executive director of Fritt Ord, tel.: +47 230 14643, mobile: +47 916 13340, email: bente.roalsvig@frittord.no