Scandinavian Historiography’s Cultural and Gendered Turn Post-1985

The era of expansive collective research projects waned across Scandinavia after 1985, driven by funding constraints as research councils prioritized smaller, more diverse studies. This shift diminished the sociological impact on history, which had relied on large databases. In its place, a new model emerged from ethnology and social anthropology, favoring situational analysis and participant observation over quantitative data. Historians adopting this approach became, in effect, historical anthropologists, prioritizing nuanced observation over statistical tables.

Trailblazers like Bo Stråth exemplified this transition, moving from sociological studies of shipyard workers to broader works on postmodernism's implications for history. Similarly, Uffe Østergaard evolved from a historical materialist in Aarhus to a prominent debater on national identity and European culture. This cultural turn was not a Scandinavian invention but drew heavily on external influences, including the French Annales School’s focus on mentalités, German Alltagsgeschichte (history of everyday life), and Italian microhistory.

Over the last quarter-century, the focus has shifted decisively toward cultural patterns and mental constructs, aiming to illuminate past psychologies rather than just material conditions. Studies often explore social unrest through the lens of the oppressed, using the metaphor of 'the Other'. Researchers examine small universes—like villages or factories—to reconstruct the reciprocal perceptions among community members, applying a mentality approach to integrate with international scholarly communities.

Two fields have experienced explosive growth: women’s history and biography. Women’s history, evolving into broader gender history, is the most vital expanding field. In Sweden, pioneers like Ann-Sofie Ohlander and theorist Yvonne Hirdman, with her concept of "the gender contract," were instrumental. Christina Florin’s dissertation on gender struggles in teaching became an important model. This movement was pan-Nordic, with significant figures like Norway’s Gro Hagemann, who studied gendered low-paid occupations, and Denmark’s Bente Rosenbeck, who analyzed the politics of the body and femininity.

Despite its application across eras—from Icelandic sagas to modern citizenship—gender history has also formed a distinct, somewhat separate tradition within the discipline. Concurrently, biography has gained renewed scholarly and popular attention. Moving beyond dry monographs, modern biographies explore personal dimensions more deeply. A spirited 1992 debate in the Danish Historisk tidsskrift, sparked by Niels Thomsen’s critique and Birgitte Possing’s defense, highlighted its contentious but secure place as a legitimate sub-discipline.

The professoriate appointed around the turn of the 21st century reflects these trends while maintaining diverse specializations. For instance, Kristine Bruland (Oslo, 1994) focuses on technology transfer and industrialization from an international perspective. Maria Ågren (Uppsala, 2002) investigates gender, law, and work in early modern Sweden within transnational networks. Gunner Lind (Copenhagen, 2002) researches state-building and military organization in early modern Europe.

These examples illustrate a key contemporary characteristic: for many Scandinavian historians, their national context now primarily provides empirical data for analyzing problems of general validity. Their orientation is international, collaborative, and problem-focused, seeking to clarify patterns of behaviour in the past rather than constructing singular national narratives. This represents a definitive move from nationally framed social history toward a more integrated, culturally oriented, and globally engaged historiography.