Photo: Humanist forlag.
Democracy Lunch: Power and Diversity with Nancy Herz
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HumSam-biblioteket, UiO:Demokrati, Studentparlamentet og Kunnskapsbyen i Oslo
Oslo, Scene HumSam
Gratis
About the event
What do we actually mean when we talk about diversity? Who holds the power to change the structures in our society? And how impatient should we be? Join a free democracy lunch with Nancy Herz, former “shameless girl” and now out with the book “Have I Only Been an Alibi?”.
Time and place: 19 May 2026, 12:15–13:00, Scene HumSam
In 2023, Nancy Herz steps down as State Secretary. Just before she is due to leave, Herz receives a phone call that gives her much more than a bad feeling. It is almost a confirmation that she has been in government as a diversity alibi. Was her background more important than her competence?
In her new book “Have I Only Been an Alibi?”, Nancy Herz writes about how we can become a more inclusive society. The author also reflects on minority stress, which does not only have consequences at the individual level. It can lead to less participation in society and in democracy. What is it like to be “the one” who is supposed to represent “all” minorities?
In Norway, employers are legally required to work for equality and against discrimination, but not everyone succeeds. In the book, Herz explores how organisations can work to integrate diversity efforts and why this is important.
Has diversity just become a faded buzzword?
At this semester’s final democracy lunch, we meet author and former State Secretary Nancy Herz in conversation with Marte Storbråten Ytterbøe from UiO:Democracy.
A free lunch is served from 12:00, and the programme starts at 12:15.
Nancy Lystad Herz (1996) is a Norwegian-Lebanese sociologist, author and social commentator. From 2021 to 2023 she was State Secretary in the Støre government, responsible for the field of integration. She has previously written the books “Shameless” (2017) and “Aren’t You Getting Married Soon? – and Everything Mum and I Should Have Talked About Instead” (2021), and created the TV series “Shameless”. “Have I Only Been an Alibi?” is her latest publication (2026). Herz is also known as one of the initiators of the movement called “The Shameless Girls”, which drew attention to negative social control and the fight against shame and honour culture. For her work she has received the Shameless Award (2016), Fritt Ord’s Tribute (2017) and the Gina Krog Prize (2018, together with Sofia Nesrine Srour and Amina Bile).
The democracy lunches are supported by Sparebankstiftelsen.
