Stofnanir og nýsköpun á norðurslóðum: Þverfagleg rannsókn á hlutverki sveitarfélaga í nýsköpun

This article discusses the role of municipalities and their institutions in innovation. It recounts the findings of a multi-national research project on the matter within the Nordic periphery and focuses on findings from the Faroe Islands and Iceland. Innovation is a term often emphasized in general discourse on local development. Often it is perceived as a solution to the challenges faced by peripheral societies. Although municipalities have traditionally played significant roles in the social formation in the Nordic countries little is known about their specific impact and function when it comes to innovation in different spheres of society. The article highlights the important and at times fluid innovative roles play by municipalities. The article is a joint Faroese – Icelandic venture. It is in two parts; the former is written on Faroese and recounts the background and aims of the research as well as the findings from the Faroes. The second part, in Icelandic, discusses the role of Icelandic municipalities and compares the findings form the two countries.