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This essay traces the development of some of the central ideas behind the 1980s and 1990s Satanism scare. In the first part of the essay I trace some of the ideas that were disseminated in Norway in 1991-1992 back to their (primarily) American origins in different professions and ideologies. Some of the ideas, such as the "brainwashing" motif and the framework of a dangerous, subversive movement are well-established in "traditional" American subversion myths. Others seem to have been shaped around interpretations of troubling events or claims in popular books. In the essay, I emphasize the interplay between the ideas brought up by interest groups and by ideologists as well as the interplay between highly profiled events and later allegations.

The present study investigates the mechanism behind induction of cell death by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in leukemia cells. The PUFA-sensitive cell lines Raji and Ramos, which die by necrosis and apoptosis upon incubation with EPA respectively, had 2- to 3-fold higher uptake rate of EPA than the PUFA-resistant U-698 cell line. Furthermore, Ramos cells contained more lipid bodies and 3-fold more triacylglycerol than U-698 cells after 24 h incubation with 60 μm EPA. The mechanism behind the increased rate of EPA uptake in the PUFA-sensitive cell lines was examined by comparing the expression of 6 different fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) and 3 acyl-CoA synthetases (ACSs) in U-698 and Ramos cells. Moreover, enzymatic activity of ACS and acyl-CoA:1,2-diacylglycerol acyltransferase (ADGAT) was investigated. The protein expression level of CD36 and p-FABPpm, the mRNA level of FABP, liver-FABP, heart-FABP, intestinal-FABP, ACS1, ACS2, and enzymatic ADGAT activity were similar in the two cell lines. However, an mRNA signal observed with a probe for ACS3 was 1.7 times higher in Ramos than in U-698 cells, and lysate from Ramos cells had a higher capacity to activate EPA to EPA-CoA than U-698 cell lysate. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that cellular uptake, activation and incorporation of EPA into lipids may be related to induction of cell death in leukemia cell lines.—Finstad, H. S., H. Dyrendal, M. C. W. Myhrstad, H. Heimli, and C. A. Drevon. Uptake and activation of eicosapentaenoic acid are related to accumulation of triacylglycerol in Ramos cells dying from apoptosis. J. Lipid Res. 2000. 41: 554–563.

Konspirasjonskulturen har ofte vært forbundet med fundamentalisme og høyreekstremisme. Ny forskning har analysert andre sider ved moderne konspirasjonskultur og foreslått at det nå har foregått en ny, paradoksal sammensmeltning av alternativreligion og konspirasjonskultur. Vi bestrider i denne artikkelen argumenter om både det nye og det paradoksale. Vi argumenterer for at konspirasjonstenkning har gamle og solide røtter i diskursiv praksis som leder frem til moderne alternativreligion, og vi argumenterer for at struktur og innhold i den gjeldende konspirasjonsdiskursen gjør det nyttig å analysere den i seg selv som en esoterisk diskurs. Lisensieret under en Creative Commons Navngivelse-DelPåSammeVilkår 4.0 Internasjonal lisens.

The present study investigates the mechanism behind induction of cell death by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in leukemia cells. The PUFA-sensitive cell lines Raji and Ramos, which die by necrosis and apoptosis upon incubation with EPA respectively, had 2- to 3-fold higher uptake rate of EPA than the PUFA-resistant U-698 cell line. Furthermore, Ramos cells contained more lipid bodies and 3-fold more triacylglycerol than U-698 cells after 24 h incubation with 60 microm EPA. The mechanism behind the increased rate of EPA uptake in the PUFA-sensitive cell lines was examined by comparing the expression of 6 different fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) and 3 acyl-CoA synthetases (ACSs) in U-698 and Ramos cells. Moreover, enzymatic activity of ACS and acyl-CoA:1,2-diacylglycerol acyltransferase (ADGAT) was investigated. The protein expression level of CD36 and p-FABPpm, the mRNA level of FABP, liver-FABP, heart-FABP, intestinal-FABP, ACS1, ACS2, and enzymatic ADGAT activity were similar in the two cell lines. However, an mRNA signal observed with a probe for ACS3 was 1.7 times higher in Ramos than in U-698 cells, and lysate from Ramos cells had a higher capacity to activate EPA to EPA-CoA than U-698 cell lysate. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that cellular uptake, activation and incorporation of EPA into lipids may be related to induction of cell death in leukemia cell lines.

The authors examine the interaction between the practice of Satanism and widespread public concern over Satanism in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The authors analyse the unique features of Satanism and Satanism scares in the social and cultural context of Nordic “folk church” Lutheranism and the Nordic welfare state. They also discuss how and why in certain periods the fear of Satanism became one of the most visible public issues in the region, and what factors contributed to the decline of public interest in Satanism.

Denne avhandlingen er en analyse av de ulike identitetsdannende prosessene som oppstår når ulike definisjoner av samme religion møtes i nettforum. Disse prosessene utforskes ved å analysere diskusjoner som oppstår naturlig i nettforumet «r/Vodou» på nettsiden «Reddit». Analysen er gjort på innsamlede innlegg og kommentarer publisert av brukere på nettforumet. Datasettet omfatter perioden ca. 2019 til 2022. Vodou er en haitisk religion som gjennom populærkulturen er blitt tilknyttet en rekke stereotypier. Jeg legger frem teori om populærkulturens voodoo og forholdet det har til vodou. Sammen med diskursteori danner dette grunnlaget for en analyse av de ulike diskursene som oppstår i nettforumet r/Vodou. Jeg ser på hvordan hvites hyppige publiseringer i r/Vodou viser definering og grensesetting rundt identiteten «vodouisant». Analysen fokuserer også på hvordan konflikt om autoritet kan føre til et skifte i gruppedynamikk. I slike konflikter kommer også identitetsdannede prosesser tydelig frem. Sentrale tema som analyseres er hvithet i vodou, stereotypier, legitimitet og autoritet. This thesis is an analysis of the different identity forming processes that happen when different definitions of the same religion meet online. I explore these processes by analysing the discussions that naturally arise on the online forum “r/Vodou”, on the website called “Reddit”. I do this analysis on the collected posts and comments published by the users on the forum. The dataset spans from ca. 2019 to 2022. Vodou is a Haitian religion that through popular culture have been connected to several stereotypes. I lay out theories surrounding popular cultures “voodoo”, and the relationship it has to vodou. With discourse theory this forms the base of an analysis of the different discourses that arise in the forum r/Vodou. I look at how white peoples frequent posts in r/Vodou show vodouisants defining and setting boundaries around the “vodouisant” identity. The analysis also focuses on how conflict surrounding authority can lead to a shift in the groups dynamic. In conflicts like these we can see the identity forming processes emerge. The central themes I analyse are whiteness in vodou, stereotypes, legitimacy, and authority.