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Research Plan and BackgroundMy Research Plan for the Next Few Years Research Project in USA (spring 2002): The Methods of MicrohistoryWork in ProgressThe Reykjavik AcademySummaries - booksSummaries - articlesRumor, Scandals, Trials and MemoryThe Contours of Social History Microhistory, Postmodernism and Historical Sources |
Biography and Academy
Degrees: B.A., History and Philosophy, University of Iceland, - 1984. Societies: Chair of the Icelandic Historical Association 1997-2000. Research fields:
World History, Western Civilization, European History, Social History,
Microhistory, Urban - Rural European History, Scandinavian - Icelandic History. Dissertation: "The Continuity of Everyday Life: Popular Culture in Iceland
1850-1940." Committee: Dr. Peter N. Stearns, Dr. John Modell, & Dr.
Mary Lindemann. B.A. Thesis: "Modes of Living in Reykjavík 1930-1940."
Teaching Assistant (T.A.) and Instructor. Carnegie Mellon University: - T.A.: Western Civilization (fall 1992), World History: (fall 1990); (fall 1991); (spring 1992); (spring 1993), and (spring 1994). - Instructor: Dynamics of European Society (summer 1992); Shaping of Western Civilization (summer 1993). University of Iceland: - Instructor: Autobiographies and History (fall 1995); Society and Individuals in the Nineteenth Century (spring 1997); Microhistory Meaning and Making (fall 1997); Personal sources and History (fall 1998); Postmodernism and History (spring 2000, the course was canceled due to budgetary reasons at the department of history); Peasant Culture (graduate level, fall 2000); Memory, History and Personal Sources (fall 2001).
o The President's Fund Award for European Research, CMU 1987.
Books: o Burt og meir en bæjarleið. Dagbækur og persónuleg skrif Vesturheimsfara á síðari hluta 19. aldar. Sýnisbók íslenskrar alþýðumenningar 5. Ritstjórar Kári Bjarnason og Sigurður Gylfi Magnússon (Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan, 2001). Meðhöfundur: Davíð Ólafsson. (Away! Faraway! - And to Another Continent. Personal Sources of Icelandic Immigrants to Canada. Anthology from Icelandic Popular Culture 5. (Reykjavík: The Icelandic University Press, 2001). Co-authorship with Davið Ólafsson).
o Kraftbirtingarhljómur Guðdómsins. Dagbók, sjálfsævisaga, bréf og kvæði Magnúsar Hj. Magnússonar, skáldsins á Þröm. Sýnisbók íslenskrar alþýðumenningar (Reykjavík: The Icelandic University Press, 1998). (The Sound of Divine Revelation. A Diary, Autobiography, Letters and Poems of Magnus Hj. Magnusson. Anthology from Icelandic Popular Culture 2). Published by the Icelandic University Press. o Einsagan - ólíkar leiðir. Átta ritgerðir og eitt myndlistarverk. Ritstjórar Sigurður Gylfi Magnússon og Erla Hulda Halldórsdóttir (Reykjavík: The Icelandic University Press, 1998). (Microhistory - Conflicting Paths. Eight Essays and One Sculpture. Sigurdur Gylfi Magnusson and Erla Hulda Halldordsottir, (eds.)). Published by the Icelandic University Press. o Bræður frá Ströndum: Dagbækur, ástarbréf, almenn bréf, sjálfsævisaga, minnisbækur og samtíningur frá 19. öld. Sýnisbók íslenskrar alþýðumenningar (Reykjavík: The Icelandic University Press, 1997). (Brothers from the Stranda Commune. Diaries, Love Letters, Private Letters, Autobiography, Notebooks and Handwritten Material from the 19th Century. Anthology from Icelandic Popular Culture). Published by the Icelandic University Press. o Menntun, ást og sorg. Einsögurannsókn á íslensku sveitasamfélagi 19. og 20. aldar. Sagnfræðirannsóknir 13 (Education, Love and Grief. A Micro-Historical Analyses of the 19th and the 20th Century Peasant Society in Iceland. Studia Historica 13) Published by the Institute of History and the Icelandic University Press, 1997. o "The Continuity of Everyday Life: Popular Culture in Iceland 1850-1940." Doctoral dissertation (Ph.D.), Carnegie Mellon University, USA, 1993.
Articles o "Sársaukans land. Vesturheimsferðir og íslensk hugsun." ("A Country of Pain.") Burt og meir en bæjarleið. Dagbækur og persónuleg skrif Vesturheimsfara á síðari hluta 19. aldar. Sýnisbók íslenskrar alþýðumenningar 5. Ed. Kári Bjarnason and Sigurður Gylfi Magnússon (Reykjavík: The Icelandic University Press, 2001), pp. 13-69. o "The Contours of Social History. Microhistory, Postmodernism and Historical Sources." Mod nye historier. Rapporter til Det 24. Nordiske Historikermøde 3. Redigeret af Carsten Tag Nielsen, Dorthe Gert Simonsen og Lene Wul (Arhus 2001), pp. 83-107. o "Einvæðing sögunnar." ("The Singularization of History.") Molar og mygla. Um einsögu og glataðan tíma. Atvik 5. Meðhöfundar Carlo Ginzburg og Davíð Ólafsson. Ritstjórar Ólafur Rastrick og Valdimar Tr. Hafstein (Reykjavik, 2000), pp. 100-141.
o "Magnús og mýtan." ("Magnús and the Myth."). Kraftbirtingarhljómur
Guðdómsins. Dagbók, sjálfsævisaga, bréf og kvæði Magnúsar Hj. Magnússonar,
skáldsins á Þröm. Sýnisbók íslenskrar alþýðumenningar (Reykjavík:
The Icelandic University Press, 1998), pp. 11-89.
o "Heimskuleg spurning fær háðulegt svar: Orð og æði minni og merking." Íslenska söguþingið 28.-31. maí 1997. Ráðstefnurit II. Meðhöfunður Jón Jónsson ("Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer! Words and Actions Memory and Meaning." Co-authorship with Jón Jónsson). Published by the Institute of History. o ""Dauðinn er lækur, en lífið er strá." Líf og dauði á nítjándu öld." (""Death is a river, but life is a straw": Death in Nineteenth Century Iceland.") Eitt sinn skal hver deyja. Dauðinn í íslenskum veruleika. Ed.: Sigurjón Baldur Hafsteinsson (Reykjavík: Mokka-Press, 1996), pp. 128-142. o ""Jeg er 479 dögum ýngri en Nilli." Dagbækur og daglegt líf Halldórs Jónssonar frá Miðdalsgröf." (""I am 479 days younger than Nilli." Diaries and Daily Life of Halldór Jónsson from Miðdalsgröf.") Skírnir 169 (fall 1995), pp. 309-347. o "From Children´s Point of View: Childhood in Nineteenth Century Iceland." Journal of Social History 29 (winter 1995), pp. 295-323. o "Siðferðilegar fyrirmyndir á 19. öld." ("Moral Models in the Nineteenth Century.") Ný Saga. Tímarit Sögufélags 7 (1995), pp. 57-72. o "Alþýðumenning á Íslandi 1850-1940." ("Popular Culture in Iceland 1850-1940.") Íslensk þjóðfélagsþróun 1880-1990. Ritgerðir. Ritstjórar: Guðmundur Hálfdanarson og Svanur Kristjánsson (Reykjavík: Félagsvísindastofnun og Sagnfræðistofnun, 1993), pp. 265-320. o "World War II in the Lives of Black Americans: Some findings and an interpretation." Co-authorship with John Modell and Marc Goulden. Journal of American History 76 (December 1989), pp. 838-848. o "Hugarfarið og samtíminn. Framþróunarkenningin og vestræn samfélög." ("Mentality and Modern Times. The Modernization Theory and Western Societies.") Ný Saga. Tímarit Sögufélagsins 2 (1988), pp. 28-39. o "Vesturgata 30." ("The Family at Vesturgata 30.") Sagnir. Tímarit um sögulegt efni 6 (1985), pp. 6-12. Forthcoming: o Fortíðardraumar. Minni, minningar og saga. Rit Sagnfræðistofnurar. Mun koma út árið 2002. (Past Illutions. Memory, Rembrance, and History). o "The Singularization of History: Social History and Microhistory within the Postmodern State of Knowledge." Will be published 2002 in the Journal of Social History June 2003. o "Einsaga á villigötum?" Sagnfræðingar að fornu og nýju. Stéttatal Sagnfræðingafélags Íslands II. Ritstjórar Loftur Guttormsson, Sigrún Pálsdóttir og Sigurður Gylfi Magnússon (Reykjavík: Mál og mynd, 2002). ("Microhistory on a Wrong Track?" Historians Past and Present. The Genology of Icelandic Historians II.) o "Barefoot Historians: Education in Nineteenth Century Iceland." Co-authorship with Davíð Ólafsson. Will be published 2002 in a book called Writing Peasants. o ""...after all children are more useful for their parents than parents to their children." Education in Nineteenth Century Iceland." Publication uncertain. o "Tilraun til úrvinnslu. Milliheimild: Rannsóknir á heimildum þjóðháttadeildar þjóðminjasafns." ("Experimental Analysis: Creating an Historical Source.") Work in progress for the Department of Ethnology for departmental use only (not for publication).
o "Proto-Industrialization in Scandinavia: Craft Skills in the Industrial Revolution." By Matts Isacson and Lars Magnusson, Journal of Social History (winter 1988), pp. 396-398. o "Family and Household in Iceland 1801-1930: Studies in the Relationship Between Demographic and Social-Economic Development, Social Legislation and Family and Household Structures." By Gísli Ágúst Gunnlaugsson, Journal of Social History (fall 1990), pp. 188-190. o "Conflicting Paths. Growing Up in America." By Harvey J. Graff, Journal of Social History (spring 1997).
o Coordinator of a session on personal sources and the role of the individuals in history at the First Icelandic Historical Convention in Reykjavik in May 1997. o Served as an instructor for numerous B.A.-theses and M.A.-theses at the Department of History in the University of Iceland from 1995 to the present. o Served on a committee for the Ministry of Education which was developing new History Standards for secondary schools and high schools (gymnasium) in 1999. Was appointed by the Minister of Education. o Was appointed in the year 2000 by the Minister of Education as a board member of the "Cultural Network" (Menningarnetið), operated by the Ministry of Education. o The founder, co-editor and co-publisher of a book series called Anthology of Icelandic Popular Culture (Sýnisbók íslenskrar alþýðumenningar) which is published by the Icelandic University Press. Four books have already been published and three more are ready for publication. o One of the founders and a member of editorial board (one of five) of the book series Atvik (Incidence) which is published by the Reykjavik Academy and Bjartur the publishing house. Five books are already out and between six and eight books are expected to be published every year. o Was one of two editors of the book Microhistory Conflicting Paths which was published by the Icelandic University Press in 1998. The authors of the papers in the book had been participating in a seminar on the importance of personal sources for historical writing for two years, and the results of this dialogue was the publication of the book. The editors ran the seminar which was held at the National Library of Iceland every third week. o Took part in founding and developing the Reykjavik Academy (RA), an independent research institute located in the West End of Reykjavik. Was on the preliminary board from 1997 and the chair of the first board of the RA from 1998 to 2000. Ten scholars participated at the beginning, but 50 scholars now belong to RA at the end of the year 2000 and take part in its daily function. They are from the humanities and the social sciences. It is funded by the City of Reykavik, the Icelandic Parliament and the Ministry of Finance. See home page of the RA: www.akademia.is. o Was the co-founder and the coordinator of the Luncheon Lecture (Hádegisfyrirlestrar Sagnfræðingafélags Íslands) of the Icelandic Historical Associations (IHA) from January 1998 into the spring of 2001. Put together and arranged 64 lectures for this function in cooperation with other board members of the Icelandic Historical Association during my tenure as the chair of the IHA. o Was the co-founder and the coordinator of on-line web-forum called Gammabrekka for the Icelandic Historical Association from January 1998 to the present. Over 400 hundred members participate in the web-forum. o Arranged and was in charge of numerous conferences and meetings for the Icelandic Historical Association and the Reykjavik Academy during my tenure as the chair of both institutions, in Reykjavík, Ísafjörður, Hafnafjörður, Viðey and Sauðárkrók. o Was the co-designer of the home page of the Icelandic Historical Association www.akademia.is/saga - which is still developing - and the home page of the Reykjavik Academy www.akademia.is. o Was the chairman of a committee who worked on an ethical code for historians from 1998-2000 on the behalf of the Icelandic Historical Association. The code of conduct was passed in September 2000 in a general assembly of the Icelandic Historical Association in its annual meeting. o Had the initiative of putting together a committee on the behalf of the Icelandic Historical Associations which has worked since 1997 on a book which will include the genealogy of all Icelandic historians in the twentieth century, their professional records, and an overview over the development of the discipline of history in this time period. I am one of the editors for this project which will be published in 2001 under the name of "Historians Now and in Former Times" (Sagnfræðingar að fornu og nýju). o Was the chief coordinator of a national wide campaign called "the Day of the Diary", held the 15th of October 1998. Icelandic citizens were asked to keep a dairy for that particular day and to send it to the National Museum of Iceland, the Department of Ethnology. The general public was also asked to donate old manuscripts, such as letters, diaries, autobiographies or other source material to the Manuscript Department at the National Library. The campaign was a great success and over 3% of the nation kept a dairy that day and over one hundred individuals donated old manuscripts to the National Library of Iceland, some of which were very valuable and others part of large private collections. Ten months after the national campaign the committee published a "best of" the diaries book. The book was called The Diaries of Icelanders (Dagbók Íslendinga) and was published by the publishing house Mál og menning. The preparation for the campaign took five months and was done voluntarily. o Wrote a 50 page report on the execution of "the Day of the Diary" campaign called: "The Day of the Diary: Behind the scenes: A Report form the Committee. Sigurður Gylfi Magnússon" See www.akademia.is/sigm. o Designed and wrote my own home page which includes over three hundred pages of material www.akademia.is/sigm. o Co-founder and a board member of the Institute of the Primary Sources (Heimildastofnun) which has on its agenda a plan to put Icelandic cultural texts from the eleventh century to the twentieth century in digital format. The project received a grant from the Icelandic Research Council in 1999.
o Served as secretary of the board of a industrial factory in Iceland, called
Harpa paint, from 1994 to the present. |
Dr. Sigurður Gylfi Magnússon
Social History, Microhistory, Everyday Life History, History of Mentality,
Family History, History of Childhood, Urban History, Rural History, European -
Scandinavian - Icelandic History.
o Molar og mygla. Um einsögu og glataðan tíma. Atvik 5. Meðhöfundar
Carlo Ginzburg og Davíð Ólafsson. Ritstjórar Ólafur Rastrick og Valdimar
Tr. Hafstein (Reykjavik, 2000). (Pieces and Molds. On Microhistory and Lost
Time. Incidence 5. Co-authorship with Carlo Ginzburg and Davið Ólafsson).
Published by the Reykjavik Academy and Bjartur.
o Lífshættir í Reykjavík 1930-1940. Sagnfræðirannsóknir 7 (Reykjavík:
Bókaútgáfa Menningarsjóðs, 1985). (Modes of Living in Reykjavík 1930-1940.
Studia Historica 7). Published by the Institute of History and Menningarsjóður.
o "Kynjasögur á 19. og 20. öld? Hlutverkaskipan í íslensku samfélagi."
("Modern Fairy Tales? Gender Roles in Icelandic Society.") Saga
(spring 1997), pp. 137-177.