Emma Beddington’s column on dugnadsånd invites readers to embrace the Norwegian tradition of community spirit because of the “feelgood” effect one gets from volunteering, and as an antidote to the isolation many people experience as things around us become increasingly fragile (It’s time to embrace Dugnadsånd – the Norwegian concept we all need right now, 23 March).
She rightly points out that dugnadsånd is not to be equated with the “outsourcing of the state’s obligations” to charitable and voluntary entities, which is so common in the UK. However, she fails to recognise that in the UK, unlike in Norway, there are huge disparities across communities that will impact people’s ability and willingness to do the kinds of activities dugnadsånd involves (as well as the scale of community intervention needed).
