Centre–periphery contestation and the spatialization of Covid-19 discourse in Norway

This paper examines how and why the Norwegian government’s early handling of Covid-19 pandemic became constructed as a centre–periphery issue in public discourse. By analysing opinion pieces editorials published North regional newspaper during first months outbreak, it identifies ‘northern peripherality’ discourse emerged highlighted geographical, infrastructural political peripheralization processes response to dispute over legality efficacy local quarantine restrictions. The argues that through interdiscursive anchoring long-standing cleavages associated grievances around centralizing reforms, co-optation government narratives, established position vulnerability from which more legitimately problematize responses concern. case empirically highlights spatiality social conflicts protest movements, for example discussed emerging literature on geographies Covid-19. Theoretically, engages with question events such become ‘meaningfully regional’ (regional) spatialization. It suggests, conceptual terms, approaching regions horizontal vertical relations moves past one-dimensional readings regionalist contestation, emphasizes power-laden within across regions, avoids replicating territorial/relational binary.