Arnved Nedkvitne

Arnved Nedkvitne (born 21 May 1947) is a Norwegian historian of the Middle Ages and Professor Emeritus of mediaeval history at the University of Trondheim and the University of Oslo. He held the chair of mediaeval Norwegian history at the University of Trondheim from 1991 to 1993 and at the University of Oslo from 1993 to 2009. He is a member of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters.

Career

Born in Haugesund, Nedkvitne obtained his cand.philol. degree in history at the University of Bergen in 1975, and his dr. philos. degree in 1983 on the thesis Utenrikshandelen fra det vestafjelske Norge. He was a professor of mediaeval history at the University of Trondheim from 1991 to 1993, and was appointed as professor of mediaeval history at the University of Oslo in 1993.

Scholarly work

He has written several books, especially on trade relations in the Middle Ages and on literacy and beliefs in mediaeval Scandinavia.^[1] A major research focus of Nedkvitne is also relations between the Hanseatic League and Norway.

According to historian Kåre Lunden, Nedkvitne has "authored several major works of Norwegian economic history. In recent years, he has been an important innovator, linked to the 'cultural turn' in the discipline".^[2]

Controversial dismissal in 2009

In February, 2009, Nedkvitne was fired from his job by the university board of the University of Oslo^[3] as the university claimed that he had "harassed" the institute director Jorunn Bjørgum and refused to be present in meetings called by her. Nedkvitne claimed that he had merely criticized the administration of the Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, as well as Trine Syvertsen, the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities.

The case caused concern among other Norwegian professors and academics (including Jan Helge Solbakk, Henning Jakhelln, Bernt Hagtvet, Kristian Gundersen, Unni Wikan, Arne Johan Vetlesen, Anine Kierulf and Jan Fridthjof Bernt) that academic freedom was not respected by the university administration.^[4] On March 11, 2009, it became known that Nedkvitne would bring the case to court with support from the Norwegian Association of Researchers.^[5]

The case commenced before Oslo City Court in January 2010. Professor Finn Fuglestad testified that Jorunn Bjørgum was a "highly authoritarian" institute director,^[6] while Professor Kristine Bruland testified that the institute leadership "systematically harassed emplyees."^[7] Bruland's testimony was also supported by Professor John Peter Collett.^[8] The city court found that the university was entitled to fire Nedkvitne. Nedkvitne first decided not to appeal to the High Court (Borgarting lagmannsrett) for economic reasons. The court's decision was criticized by several professors.^[9] In February 2010, the Board of the Norwegian Association of Researchers decided to support an appeal financially, due the "principal character" of his case.^[10] In March 2011 the High Court's decision upheld the City Court's decision, stating that the University of Oslo was entitled to fire Nedkvitne because he allegedly refused to attend a meeting with the director of the institute.

The University of Oslo offered to give Nedkvitne 2 years pay if he would turn in his resignation.^[11]

Selected publications

• Utenrikshandelen fra det vestafjelske Norge 1100-1600, 1983 (dissertation, dr. philos.)
• "Mens bønderne seilte og jægterne for" : nordnorsk og vestnorsk kystøkonomi 1500-1730, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, 1988
• Människan och miljön, 1991 (with Kjell Haarstad and Lars J. Lundgren)
• Byen under Eikaberg : fra byens oppkomst til 1536, 1991 (volume one of Oslo bys historie, with Per G. Norseng)
  • Re-released in 2000 as Middelalderbyen ved Bjørvika, Oslo: Cappelen, 475 pp., ISBN 82-02-19100-9
• Norwegen und die Hanse : wirtschaftliche und kulturelle Aspekte im europäischen Vergleich, Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1994 (editor, with Volker Henn)
• Møte med døden i norrøn middelalder, Oslo: Cappelen, 1997, 151 pp., ISBN 82-456-0202-7, published in Swedish 2004
• The social consequences of literacy in medieval Scandinavia, Turnhout: Brepols, 2004, 290 pp., ISBN 2-503-51450-2
• Lay belief in Norse society 1000-1350, Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 2009, 401 pp., ISBN 978-87-635-0786-8
• Ære, lov og religion i Norge gjennom tusen år, Oslo: Spartacus Forlag, 2011, 444 pp., ISBN 978-82-304-0070-8
• The German Hansa and Bergen 1100-1600 , Köln: Böhlau, 2014, 785 pp., ISBN 978-3-412-22202-4

References