Research articles

Norwegian Friluftsliv Organizations and Social Media: Equity, Representation, and Influence

September 22, 2025

© Simon Kennedy Beames¹ & Edgar Le Guyader^2,3¹ Norwegian School of Sport Sciences; ² École Normale Supérieure de Rennes;
³ École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales

Social media increasingly mediates how friluftsliv—Norwegian outdoor life—is represented and practiced, yet concerns remain about equity and inclusivity in these portrayals. This study critically examined how five major Norwegian friluftsliv organizations use Instagram to represent women; Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC); and people with disabilities. Using a netnographic and visual case study approach, 1,344 images from 2023-2024 were analyzed. Findings reveal relatively strong representation of women (approx. 32% of images), yet BIPOC individuals (5%) and people with disabilities (<1%) remain severely underrepresented. These omissions reinforce narrow ideals of Norwegian outdoor identity tied to whiteness, health, and physical fitness. The study highlights the power of organizational social media to either perpetuate exclusion or promote diversity, and urges friluftsliv organizations to adopt more inclusive digital practices that reflect the full diversity of Norwegian society.

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Hailing from Montreal, SIMON KENNEDY BEAMES is a Professor of Friluftsliv at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo, Norway. He has been teaching outdoors for over 30 years, predominantly in Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe. He is co-author of the books Adventurous Learning, Adventure & Society, andOutdoor Learning across the Curriculum, and co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of Mobile Technology, Social Media and the Outdoors.

EDGAR LE GUYADER is a master’s student at ENS Rennes and EHESS, currently conducting research at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. His work explores the history and transformations of embodied outdoor practices—such as climbing, surfing, and friluftsliv—and how they shape relations with the environment, social norms, and policies. He studies land-use conflicts, sensory histories of human–nature relations, and inclusion in outdoor cultures, with contributions submitted to international journals.