Interpersonal Austerity as a Barrier to the Social Integration of Highly Skilled Immigrants in Norway

In this article, we examine barriers to the social integration of highly skilled immigrants in Norway, drawing on qualitative interviews. Many participants described significant challenges in forming friendships with Norwegians. Responding to calls to de-migranticize integration research, we shift the analytical focus from the immigrants to the wider society to understand these challenges. Building on anthropological work—particularly Gullestad’s notion of invisible fences—we argue that distinct cultural norms in Norway foster a sense of interpersonal austerity, in which social energy is treated as a scarce resource. Interpersonal austerity may help explain the integration paradox, i.e., that highly skilled immigrants tend to feel more detached from the host country than other immigrants. The combination of frequent interaction with the majority population and limited opportunities to form deeper relationships may heighten feelings of social exclusion. Moreover, immigrants with a cosmopolitan orientation may rely more on personal connections than on place-based belonging to feel anchored. While traditional migration theories emphasize economic austerity as a key motivator, our data suggest that interpersonal austerity can play a comparable role for some immigrants. Overall, our findings indicate that integration outcomes cannot be understood without critically examining the norms and gatekeeping practices of the majority population.