You need to remember a few things about Iceland that make it very different from most other countries in the world and unique in the western world:
It is a small Island mostly covered by ice, the total population is less than 300 000 and there is only one real city (Reykjavik, the capital).
The country was almost complettely isolated for several hundred years and AFAIK there were almost NO foreigners there until after WWII (the start of the cold war, due to the strategic location between Greenland and Europe). The language has not changed much over the past few hundred years and is very similar to the language that was used in the nordic countries during the viking era. Almost everyone on the Island is related in one way or another.
When the first US army base was established after WWII the soldiers were not allowed to visit Reykjavik and the american radio was not allowed to broadcast from the base.
So yes, Iceland has been very xenophobic but that has largely been due to attempts to preserve what has been an unique culture, a culture which in many ways was DEFINED by being isolated from outside influence.
I do not neccesarily agree with all of this but my point is that I do not think these laws have anything to do with racism, it is just an attempt to protect a culture which is very easily affected because of the small population.
It is a small Island mostly covered by ice, the total population is less than 300 000 and there is only one real city (Reykjavik, the capital).
The country was almost complettely isolated for several hundred years and AFAIK there were almost NO foreigners there until after WWII (the start of the cold war, due to the strategic location between Greenland and Europe). The language has not changed much over the past few hundred years and is very similar to the language that was used in the nordic countries during the viking era. Almost everyone on the Island is related in one way or another.
When the first US army base was established after WWII the soldiers were not allowed to visit Reykjavik and the american radio was not allowed to broadcast from the base.
So yes, Iceland has been very xenophobic but that has largely been due to attempts to preserve what has been an unique culture, a culture which in many ways was DEFINED by being isolated from outside influence.
I do not neccesarily agree with all of this but my point is that I do not think these laws have anything to do with racism, it is just an attempt to protect a culture which is very easily affected because of the small population.