ABSTRACT
Colonialism and imperialism were essential in shaping European identities in the nineteenth century, creating boundaries and categories of belonging, based on shifting and intersecting markers for example in relation to race and gender. This chapter outlines Iceland's status within Europe, especially emphasizing Iceland's position within the European colonial and imperial landscape in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. It focuses on the contemporary discussion of diversity in Iceland where exceptionalism is used to justify and make meaningful the recycling of colonial images and ideas. Claims about Iceland's exceptionalism in relation to racism and colonialism have not only been limited to public discussions of multicultural Iceland. It can be seen in governmental discourses as expressed in the words of key public persons representing the government. Some public discussions about multiculturalism celebrate cultural plurality in Iceland while others express concern over the effects on Icelandic culture and society.
