Karin Widerberg

Professor emerita
Image of Karin Widerberg
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Postal address karin.widerberg@sosgeo.uio.no

Academic Interests

Main research fields are theory of science and methodology, law and ruling and understandings of gender (in general and issues related to work, sexuality and body in particular). Her resent major research projects include  “The Sociality of Tiredness - The Handling of Tiredness in a Gender, Generation and Class Perspective” and the EU-project “ Changing Knowledge and Disciplinary Boundaries Through Integrative Research Methods in the Social Sciences and Humanities”.

The relation between theoretical and methodological approaches, how theory can be translated into empirical research, and vice versa, is a key issue in all her writing. In Widerberg’s research projects on; Parental Leave Legislation, Sexual Harassment, The Gender of Knowledge, Doing Body/Texts, The Sociality of Tiredness, she has raised and illustrated the issue and argued for the development of explorative qualitative methods within the social science. In her textbooks on qualitative methods Qualitative Research in Praxis, and on ”writing the social” in Writing Social Science, these arguments have been further substantiated. In developing and exploring qualitative research the approaches of Institutional Ethnography and Memory Work - also in combination - have been central.

Background

  • B.A at the University of Lund (Sweden) in 1971
  • Ph.D. in Sociology of Law, at the University of Lund in 1978
  • Research Associate at Dep. of Sociology of Law, at Lunds University 1980-83
  • Research Assosiate at Dep. of Sociology of Law at University of Oslo (UiO) 1983-88
  • Head of Research at the Center for Women’s Research, UiO 1988-90
  • Professor of Sociology of Law, Dep. of Sociology of Law, UiO 1991
  • Professor of Sociology, Dep. for Sociology and Human Geography (ISS), UiO since 1992
  • Affiliate Professor, Center for Women´s Research, University of Trondheim, 1994-97
  • Guest Professor, Dep. of Sociology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark 1997
  • Head of the Department, Dep. for Sociology and Human Geography (ISS) , UiO, 2008-11
Tags: Sociology

Publications

  • Widerberg, Karin (2021). Academic Star Wars. Pierre Bourdieu and Dorothy E. Smith on Academic Work. In Leiulfsrud, Håkon & Sohlberg, Peter (Ed.), Constructing Social Research Objects. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 978-90-04-45002-8. p. 189–216.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2020). Memory Work: an approach to remembering and documenting everyday experiences . In Holmes, Helen & Hall, Sarah Marie (Ed.), Mundane Methods. Innovative ways to research the everyday. Manchester University Press. ISSN 9781526139719. p. 49–65.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2020). Fra #metoo til sex i arbeid(-et). Tidsskrift for kjønnsforskning. ISSN 0809-6341. p. 80–86. doi: 10.18261/issn.1891-1781-2020-01-08.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2019). In the name of the welfare state: investigating ruling relations in a Nordic context. In Lund, Rebecca Waters Bolden & Nilsen, Ann Christin Eklund (Ed.), Institutional Ethnography in the Nordic Region. Routledge. ISSN 9780429019999. p. 21–36. doi: 10.4324/9780429019999-2.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2018). A Method of Inquiry for Sociology of Law. Institutional Ethnography. In Banakar, Reza; Dahlstrand, Karl & Ryberg-Welander, Lotti (Ed.), Festskrift till Håkan Hydén. Jursistförlaget i Lund. ISSN 9789154405756. p. 617–630.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2017). Folkhemmet som kommers- Ikea. In Bergman, Paavo & Gunnar, Olofsson (Ed.), På väg: En vänbok till Sven E. Olsson Hort. Arkiv Förlag. ISSN 978 91 7924 289 3. p. 63–75.
  • Göransson, Anita & Widerberg, Karin (2016). Göran between sex and power. In Olofsson, Gunnar & Hort, Sven (Ed.), Class, Sex and Revolutions. Göran Therborn - a critical appraisal.. Arkiv Förlag. ISSN 9789179242817. p. 279–290.
  • Widerberg, Karin & Göransson, Anita (2016). Göran mellan kön och makt. Arkiv. Tidskrift för samhällsanalys. ISSN 2000-6225. p. 61–72. doi: 10.13068/2000-6217.6.3.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2016). Explorative Teaching and Research - From Memory Work to Experience Stories. Creative Education. ISSN 2151-4755. 7, p. 1935–1952. doi: 10.4236/ce.2016.714196.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2015). Akademia. Om styring i den akademiske hverdag. In Widerberg, Karin (Eds.), I hjertet av velferdsstaten. En invitasjon til institusjonell etnografi. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 978-82-02-45067-0. p. 143–163.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2015). En invitasjon til institusjonell etnografi. In Widerberg, Karin (Eds.), I hjertet av velferdsstaten. En invitasjon til institusjonell etnografi. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 978-82-02-45067-0. p. 13–31.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2014). Gränsliv. In Andersson, Gunnar; Brante, Thomas & Edling, Christofer (Ed.), Det personliga är sociologiskt. LiberAB. ISSN 978-91-47-11503-7. p. 219–237.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2014). In the best of interests? New public management, the welfare state, and the case of academic work - an ethnographic exploration. In Blok, Anders & Gundelach, Peter (Ed.), The Elementary Forms of Sociological Knowledge. Essays in Honor of Margareta Bertilsson. Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen. ISSN 9788772963051. p. 81–94.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2014). Timeregnskapets Akademia. En institusjonell etnografisk studie av et styringsinstrument. In Finstad, Liv & Lomell, Heidi Mork (Ed.), Motmæle. En antologi til Kjersti Ericsson, Cecilie Høigård og Guri Larsen. Novus Forlag. ISSN 978-82-7099-749-7. p. 477–492.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2013). Kunskapens kön - nu och då. Tidskrift för genusvetenskap (TGV). ISSN 1654-5443. p. 64–68.
  • Widerberg, Karin & Kummen, Tone (2012). Flere skilsmisser - flere hjem. In Ellingsæter, Anne Lise & Widerberg, Karin (Ed.), Velferdsstatens familier. Nye sosiologiske perspektiver. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISSN 9788205425002. p. 330–349.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2011). The sociology evaluation - seen from an university institute. Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning. ISSN 0040-716X. 52(2), p. 243–244.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2011). Kalkylekultur og kritisk sosiologi. Materialisten. Tidsskrift for forskning, fagkritikk og teoretisk debatt. ISSN 0801-3055. p. 96–99.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2011). Methods of Inquiry - Feminist Approaches in Social Sciences: Sustainable Methods in Post-colonial Times? In Sainsbury, Diane & Soininen, Maritta (Ed.), Kön, makt, nation. Statsvetenskapliga institutionen, Stockholms universitet. ISSN 978-91-633-8705-0. p. 14–29.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2011). Sosiologievalueringen- sett fra et universitetsinstitutt. Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning. ISSN 0040-716X. p. 243–245.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2011). Memory Work: Exploring Family Life and Expanding the Scope of Family Research. Journal of Comparative Family Studies. ISSN 0047-2328. 42(3), p. 329–+. doi: 10.3138/jcfs.42.3.329.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2010). Med samtalen som utgangspunkt. Om veivalg og kunnskapsmuligheter ved intervjuing. In Album, Dag; Hansen, Marianne Nordli & Widerberg, Karin (Ed.), Metodene våre. Eksempler fra samfunnsvitenskapelig forskning. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215014920. p. 219–234.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2010). Positionering som kunskapspolitisk strategi. In Modeer, Kjell Åke & Sunnqvist, Martin (Ed.), 1968 och därefter. De kritiska rättsteoriernas betydelse för nordisk rättsvetenskap. Museum Tusculanums Forlag. ISSN 978-87-635-3243-3. p. 185–198.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2010). In the Homes of Others: Exploring New Sites and Methods When Investigating the Doings of Gender, Class and Ethnicity. Sociology. ISSN 0038-0385. 44(6), p. 1181–1196. doi: 10.1177/0038038510381604.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2009). En annen historie. Arr - Idéhistorisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0802-7005. p. 93–101.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). Dorothy E. Smith. In Stones, Rob (Eds.), Key Sociological Thinkers. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 978-0-230-00157-2. p. 311–323.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). For the Sake of Knowledge: Exploring Memory-work in Research and Teaching. In Hyle, Adrienne; Ewing, Margaret S.; Montgomery, Diane & Kaufman, Judith S. (Ed.), Dissecting The Mundane. International Perspectives On Memory-Work. University Press of America. ISSN 0-7618-4116-4. p. 113–133.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). I andras hem. Sociologisk forskning. ISSN 0038-0342. p. 7–25.
  • Widerberg, Karin & Jordheim Larsen, Camilla (2007). How Interdisciplinary is Interdisciplinary Gender Research? An Investigation of the Research Programme Gender in Transition. Tidsskrift for kjønnsforskning. ISSN 0809-6341. p. 75–87. Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (2007). Institusjonell etnografi - en ny mulighet for kvalitativ forskning. Sosiologi i dag. ISSN 0332-6330. 37(2), p. 7–28. Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (2006). Embodying Modern Times. Investigating tiredness. Time & Society. ISSN 0961-463X. 15(1), p. 105–120. doi: 10.1177/0961463X06061348.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2006). Tiredness in the Light of Institutional Ethnography. Sociologisk forskning. ISSN 0038-0342. p. 74–82. Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (2006). Disciplinization of Gender Studies. Old Questions, New Answers? Nordic Strategies in the European Context. NORA - Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research. ISSN 0803-8740. 14(2). Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (2005). Alternativa metoder - alternativa förståelser. Att utforska det sociala och multipla "jaget" genom minnesarbete. In Davies,, Karen & Mulinari, Diana (Ed.), Att utmana vetandets gränser. Liber. ISSN 91-47-07497-3. p. 175–188.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2005). Situating Knowledge - Liberating or Oppressive? In Engelstad, Ericka & Gerrard, Siri (Ed.), Challenging Situatedness. Gender, Culture and the Production of Knowledge. Eburon Academic Publishers. ISSN 90-5972-068-7. p. 259–267.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2005). Embodied Gender Talks - The Gendered Discourse of Tiredness. In Morgan, David; Brandth, Berit & Kvande, Elin (Ed.), Gender, Bodies and Work. Ashgate. ISSN 0754644391. p. 101–113.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2004). Situerad kunskap - om modellmakt och dialog innanför kvinnoforskningen. In Frønes, Ivar & Wetlesen, Tone Schou (Ed.), Dialog, selv og samfunn. Abstrakt forlag. ISSN 82-7935-183-3. p. 179–203.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2004). Institutional Ethnography - Towards a Producitve Sociology. An Interview with Dorothy E. Smith. Sosiologisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0804-0486. 12, p. 179–184. Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (2003). Sprickor, brott och störningar - kritikens fundament ? Några reflexioner och exempel, Fortsatt uferdig. Festskrift til Thomas Mathiesen. Pax Forlag. ISSN 82-530-2523-8. p. 144–159.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2003). Norsk könssociologi - från problemorienterad empirism till poststrukturalistisk empirisim? Några betraktelser från en "outsider within". Sosiologisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0804-0486. 11(1), p. 45–53. Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (2002). När det overkliga blir verklighet. Sociologisk forskning. ISSN 0038-0342. p. 138–147.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2001). Kunskapens kön - ett generationsperspektiv. Kvinnovetenskaplig tidskrift. ISSN 0348-8365. p. 5–17. Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (2001). Patriarkatets slut ? Tros-satser à la Castells. Retfærd. Nordisk Juridisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0105-1121. p. 14–18. Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). Könskontraktets kropp - kropp, medborgarskap och kön. In Henrichsen, Carsten; Storgaard, Anette & Vedstad-Hansen, Jens (Ed.), Lovens liv. Jurist-og Økonomforbundets forlag, København. ISSN 87-574-0343-0. p. 125–139.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). Könskontraktets kropp - kropp, sexualitet, medborgarskap och kön. In Nordborg, Gudrun; Ågren, Karin & Nilsson, Eva (Ed.), Strategier och kontrakt för ekonomi och kärlek. Rapport från 10:e Nordiska Kvinno-Juristmötet. Justus förlag, Uppsala. ISSN 91-7678-451-7. p. 191–209.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). Gender and Society. In Andersen, Heine & Kaspersen, Lars Bo (Ed.), Classical and Modern Social Theory. Blackwell, Oxford. ISSN 0-631-21288-4. p. 467–488.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). Harriet Holter: A Pioneer in Gender Studies and Sociology. Acta Sociologica. ISSN 0001-6993. 43(4), p. 413–421. Full text in Research Archive
  • Widerberg, Karin (1999). Undervisningens kön/Kön i undervisningen/Könad undervisning. In Birkelund, Gunn Elisabeth; Broch-Due, Anne-Kathrine & Nilsen, Ann (Ed.), Ansvar & protest. Kjønn, klasse og utdanning i senmoderniteten. Sosiologisk Institutt, Bergen. ISSN 82-578-0142-9. p. 35–45.
  • Widerberg, Karin (1999). Alternative Methods - Alternative Understandings : Exploring the Social and the Multiple "I" through Memory-Work. Sosiologisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0804-0486. p. 147–161. Full text in Research Archive

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  • Ellingsæter, Anne Lise & Widerberg, Karin (2012). Velferdsstatens familier. Nye sosiologiske perspektiver. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISBN 9788205425002. 350 p.
  • Album, Dag; Hansen, Marianne Nordli & Widerberg, Karin (2010). Metodene våre. Eksempler fra samfunnsvitenskapelig forskning. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215014920. 320 p.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2004). Oppgaveskriving. Veien til lystbetont skriving og gode rutiner. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 82-15-00568-3. 85 p.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2003). Vetenskapligt skrivande - kreativa genvägar. Studentlitteratur AB. ISBN 9144030401. 103 p.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2002). Kvalitativ forskning i praktiken. Studentlitteratur AB. ISBN 91-44-01828-2. 232 p.
  • Lilleaas, Ulla-Britt & Widerberg, Karin (2001). Trøtthetens tid. Pax Forlag. ISBN 8253023499. 261 p.
  • Lilleaas, Ulla-Britt & Widerberg, Karin (2001). "Trøtthetens tid". Pax Forlag. ISBN 82-530-2349-9. 262 p.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2001). Historien om et kvalitativt forskninsprosjekt. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 82-15-00048-7. 206 p.

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  • Widerberg, Karin (2019). Hvordan bruke teori? Nyttige verktøy i kvalitativ analyse. Norsk sosiologisk tidsskrift. ISSN 2535-2512. p. 89–90.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2018). Våldets kön. Kulturella föreställningar, funktioner och konsekvenser. Tidskrift för genusvetenskap (TGV). ISSN 1654-5443. p. 115–117.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2018). Harriet Bjerrum Nielsen: Feeling Gender. A Generational and Psychosocial Approach. Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning. ISSN 0040-716X. p. 113–115.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2017). The Geopolitics of Nordic and Russian Gender Research 1975-2005. Tidskrift för genusvetenskap (TGV). ISSN 1654-5443. p. 86–89.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2013). Bak lukkede dører. En bok om voldtekt. Sosiologi i dag. ISSN 0332-6330. p. 95–98.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2013). Hva Moi vil si. Toril Moi: Språk og oppmerksomhet. Norsk Litteraturvitenskapelig Tidsskrift. ISSN 0809-2044. p. 171–173.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2013). De fem viktigste bøkene. Materialisten. Tidsskrift for forskning, fagkritikk og teoretisk debatt. ISSN 0801-3055. p. 143–149.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2013). Politikk for likestilling. Nytt Norsk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0800-336X. p. 90–95.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2012). Struktur for likestilling? Nytt Norsk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0800-336X. p. 442–445.
  • Album, Dag; Hansen, Marianne Nordli & Widerberg, Karin (2010). Introduksjon. In Album, Dag; Hansen, Marianne Nordli & Widerberg, Karin (Ed.), Metodene våre. Eksempler fra samfunnsvitenskapelig forskning. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215014920. p. 7–14.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). Argumenter for en kritisk sosiologi en kommentar til "kompleksitetens krav : argumenter for en transnasjonal sosiologi". Sosiologisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0804-0486. 16(4), p. 395–400.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). Avhandlingsskrivande.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). Institutional Ethnography.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). The Role of Supervision - Duties and Rights.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). In the Homes of Others - Exploring new Sites and Methods when Investigating the Doings of Gender, Class and Ethnicity.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). In the Home of Others - Exploring new Sites and Methods when Investigating the Doings of Gender, Class and Ethnicity.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). Memory-work as an Approach to Investigate Relating to Death - A Proposal.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). Embodying Modern Times.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2008). Institutional Ethnography - A Method of Inquiry, også for Kvinneretten?
  • Widerberg, Karin (2007). Kjønnsforskning en grunnbok. Sosiologisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0804-0486. 15(2), p. 186–190.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2006). Institutional Ethnography. A Sociology for People. IE Newsletter, Division of the Society for the Study of Social Problems. 3(1), p. 6–7.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2005). Sexuella trakasserier finns nog i en annan värld. Sociologisk forskning. ISSN 0038-0342. p. 82–85.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2004). Hvor ble heterosexen av ? Karin Widerberg intervjuet av Beret Bråten. Kvinneforskning. ISSN 0806-6256. p. 61–67.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2003). Power in the erotic: feminism and lesbian practice. Kvinneforskning. ISSN 0806-6256. p. 122–125.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2003). Förförd av Eros: Kön och moral bland utländska kvinnor bosatta på en grekisk ö. Sociologisk forskning. ISSN 0038-0342. p. 123–132.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2001). "Harriet Holter". In Arntzen, Jon Gunnar (Eds.), Norsk biografisk leksikon: Escholt-Halvdan. Kunnskapsforlaget. ISSN 82-573-1005-0.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2001). Tillitens kropp. Sosiolog-nytt. ISSN 0333-3205. p. 27–39.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2001). "Stiffed" by Susan Falludi. Mannsforskning. ISSN 1500-7219. p. 44–45.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). Kunskapsteoretisk utmaning. Kvinnovetenskaplig tidskrift. ISSN 0348-8365. p. 100–104.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). Makten att se- om kropp och kvinnlighet i lagens namn. Statsvetenskaplig Tidsskrift. ISSN 0039-0747. 103, p. 83–88.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). Resistance, Integration, Challenges. The Sociology of Gender, the Norwegian Case.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). "Gender¿again¿historic bodies, historicity of the body ¿ a comment to Joan Scott". Respondant to Joan Scott on a plenary session at 4th Europeand Feminist Research Conference in Bologna.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). "Stiffed - A Comment to Susan Falludi".
  • Widerberg, Karin (2000). Kunskapens kön: Utfordringar inför ett nytt årtusende.
  • Lilleaas, Ulla-Britt & Widerberg, Karin (2000). Tid, kropp og arbeid.
  • Widerberg, Karin (1999). "Förhandlingar om kön". Kvinnovetenskaplig tidskrift. ISSN 0348-8365. p. 91–95.
  • Rua, Marte & Widerberg, Karin (2009). Fengsel, varetekt og isolasjon sett fra fengselslegens ståsted. En institusjonell-etnografisk studie. Universitetet i Oslo.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2007). Among the "Others": Migration and Gender and the Ethnographic Approach. The University of York.
  • Widerberg, Karin & Hirsch, Silje (2005). Disciplinary Barriers between the Social Sciences and the Humanities. Change in Disciplinization: Two Case Studies. A Comparative Report of eight European Countries. www.hull.ac.uk/researchintegration.
  • Widerberg, Karin (2004). Disciplinary Barriers between the Social Sciences and Humanities. National Report on Norway. University of Hull.
  • Widerberg, Karin; Fehr, Drude von der; Leira, Halldis & Lilleaas, Ulla-Britt (2001). Doing Body/Texts - An explorative approach -. 7Letras.
  • Lilleaas, Ulla-Britt & Widerberg, Karin (2000). Trøtthetsbilder og trøtthetsdagbok. Institutt for sosiologi og samfunnsgeografi. ISSN 0809-3652.

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Published Oct. 11, 2010 2:29 PM - Last modified May 13, 2020 8:48 AM