The Conference was arranged in Helsinki, August 19-22 1968, by the Political Science Associations of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, and included 89 participants from the four countries.

The conference focused upon four problem areas: elite recruitment, the role of experts in public administration, research on political parties and interest organizations, and international relations.

The conference was opened by mr. Kalervo Siikala, head of the international department of the Finnish Ministry of Education.

Five plenary lectures were given:

Professor Erik ALLARDT, University of Helsinki, "Statsvetenskap och sociologi" (Political Science and Sociology).*

Professor Erling BJØL, University of Aarhus, "Statsvidenskab og international politikk" (Political Science and International Politics).

Professor Knut D. JACOBSEN, University
of Bergen, "Samfunnsplanlegging"
(Societal Planning).

Dr. Björn MOLIN, University of Gothenburg, "Analys av beslutsprocesser" (Analysis of Decision Processes). Professor Jan-Magnus JANSSON, University of Helsinki, "Jämförande politologisk forskning i Norden" (Comparative Political Research in the Nordic Countries).

There was also a plenary discussion on "Graduate Training in Political Science", introduced by associate professor Nils ELVANDER, University of Uppsala.

Four pannels were arranged in which a
total of 17 papers and 5 reports were presented:

1. Elite Recruitment

Chairman:

Assistant Professor Mogens N. PEDERSEN,
University of Aarhus.

Papers:

Helen AARESKJOLD, University of Bergen. "Stortingsrepresentantenes deltakelse i internas]onale organisasjoner" (Participation of members of parliament in international organizations).

Willy MARTINUSSEN, University of Oslo,
"Politisk engasjement og sosial bakgrunn"
(Political awareness and social background).

Kjell SALHUS, University of Bergen, "Rekrutteringen av norske stortingsmenn 1865-1965: Yrkes- og utdanningsdata" (The recruitment of Norwegian members of parliament 1865-1965: Data on occupation and education).

Mogens N. PEDERSEN, University of Aarhus, "Rekrutteringen af danske folketingsmænd" (The recruitment of Danish members of parliament).

Henry VALEN, University of Oslo, "Party
Membership in Norway".

Report:

Sten S. NILSON, University of Oslo, "Prestekandidatene i Norge, 1921-1965" (Clergymen as parliamentary candidates in Norway, 1921-1965.

2. The Role of Experts in Public Administration

Chairman:

Professor Knut D. JACOBSEN, University
of Bergen.

Papers:

H. DON JEM, J. HOVDEN & T. GRAN,
University of Oslo, "Rekrutteringen til norske
departementer 1914—1965" (Recruitment
to Norwegian ministries 1914-1965).
Odd HANDEGAARD, University of Oslo,
"Ekspertenes funksjon i den offentlige administrasjon"
(The function of experts in
public administration).

Per Kristen MYDSKE, University of Oslo,
"Den regionale planeekspertise i Norge"
(Regional planning experts in Norway).
Johan P. OLSEN, University of Oslo, "Informasjon
og innflytelse: En studie av budsjetteringsprocessen
i en norsk primærkom

* See pp. 11-21 in this volume.

* See pp. 11-21 in this volume.

mune" (Information and influence: A study
of the budgetary process in a Norwegian
local community).

Øyvind ØSTERUD, University of Oslo, "Avideologisering og Ideologi i velferdssamfunnet" (De-ideologization and ideology in the welfare state).

Torodd STRAND, University of Oslo, "Ekspertise,
innovas jon og innflytelse" (Experts,
innovation and influence).

Sigmund VOLL, University of Oslo, "Administrasjon og klienter. Jordbrukssektoren" (Administration and clientele: The agricultural sector).

3. Political Parties and Interest Organizations

Chairman:

Associate Professor Olof RUIN, University
of Stockholm.

Papers:

Hans G. ANDERSSON, University of Stockholm, "Rationell teori som utgångspunkt för studier av partiorganisation" (Rationalistic theory as the point of departure for studies of party organization).

Nils ELVANDER, University of Uppsala, "Partierna, organisationerna och skatterna: Den skattepolitiska debatten i Sverige 1945-1968" (Parties, organizations, and taxes: The debate on tax policy in Sweden 1945-1968). Svante HANSSON, University of Stockholm, "Systemteori och partiforskning" (Systems theory and the study of political parties). Björn SÖDERFELDT, University of Uppsala, "Oligarkins järnlag - partistruktur och partidemokrati" (The iron law of oligarchy - party structure and party democracy).

Reports:

Hans J.NIELSEN & Leif CHRISTENSEN,
University of Copenhagen, "Interviewundersøgelse
af meningsstrukturen i danske politiske
partier" (Survey of the structure of
attitudes in Danish political parties).
Thomas Chr. WYLLER, University of Oslo,
"Embetsmennenes landsforbund 1918-1968"
(The National Union of Civil Servants
1918-1968).

4. International Politics

Chairman:

Professor Klaus TÖRNUDD, University of
Tampere.

Paper:

Sten S. NILSON, University of Oslo, "Økonomiske og politiske beslutningssekvenser: En konkret parallell og noen teoretiske betraktninger" (Economic and political decision sequences: A concrete parallel and some theoretical considerations).

Reports:

Kjell GOLDMANN, University of Stockholm, "Internationella normer och krig: Teoretiska utgångspunkter för ett forskningsprojekt" (International norms and war: Theoretical foundations for a research project).

S. O. PERSSON, University of Gothenburg,
"Palestina-konflikten" (The Palestine conflict).

The next conference will be held in Uppsala,
Sweden in 1971.