Francis Sejersted
Encyclopedia
Francis Sejersted is a Norwegian
history professor and former chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee
.
Sejersted was educated in history as well as nordic language and literature
at the University of Oslo
and achieved a candidatus philologiæ
in 1965 and a doctorate
in 1973.
From 1971 to 1973 Sejersted served as Docent
(that is, Reader) in history at the University of Oslo
and was thereafter Professor of Social
and Economic History
at the same institution until 1998. From 1988 to 1998 he served as Director of the Centre for Technology and Culture at the University and since 1999 he has been a Fellow
of the Institute for Social Research.. As a historian, Sejersted's field of expertise economical, technological and political history of Scandinavian countries between the Napoleonic Wars
and the World War II
.
In 1999 he became an Honorary
Doctor at University of Linköping, Sweden
.
Dr. Sejersted was member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee
(which awards the Nobel Peace Prize
) from 1982 to 1999, since 1991 as Chairman. From 1990 to 1999 he also was member of the board of the Nobel Foundation
in Stockholm
.
In 1962 Francis Sejersted was president of the Norwegian Student's Association representing the student wing of the Conservative Party of Norway
, a party has been affiliated with since.
From 1971-1975 he was editor of Historisk Tidsskrift
("Historical Review") and since 1984 he is a Co-Editor of the New Norwegian Periodical.
Dr. Sejersted was Member of the board at the Institute for Comparative Cultural Studies 1974-1982 and at the Norwegian Research Council for Basic Research 1980-1983 and Chairman of the Norwegian Science Policy Council 1984-1988.
In 1985 he entered the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
, in 1989 the Academia Europea, The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences in 1993, The Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences 1995, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
1997 and finally in 2001 The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
. He is also a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
.
From 1996 to 1996 he chaired the governmental Freedom of Expression Commission in Norway and became Chairman of The Freedom of Expression Foundation in 2000.
Francis Sejersted is Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
and the Swedish Order of the Polar Star
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
history professor and former chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee
Norwegian Nobel Committee
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the Nobel Peace Prize each year.Its five members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament and roughly represent the political makeup of that body.-History:...
.
Sejersted was educated in history as well as nordic language and literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
and achieved a candidatus philologiæ
Candidatus Philologiæ
Candidatus philologiae or Candidata philologiae , often abbreviated cand.philol. is an academic degree in Arts and Letters at Danish and Norwegian universities. A cand.philol. is generally considered equivalent to the British Master of Philosophy, the French diplôme d'études approfondies or the...
in 1965 and a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1973.
From 1971 to 1973 Sejersted served as Docent
Docent
Docent is a title at some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks below professor . Docent is also used at some universities generically for a person who has the right to teach...
(that is, Reader) in history at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
and was thereafter Professor of Social
Social history
Social history, often called the new social history, is a branch of History that includes history of ordinary people and their strategies of coping with life. In its "golden age" it was a major growth field in the 1960s and 1970s among scholars, and still is well represented in history departments...
and Economic History
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
at the same institution until 1998. From 1988 to 1998 he served as Director of the Centre for Technology and Culture at the University and since 1999 he has been a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Institute for Social Research.. As a historian, Sejersted's field of expertise economical, technological and political history of Scandinavian countries between the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1999 he became an Honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor at University of Linköping, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Dr. Sejersted was member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee
Norwegian Nobel Committee
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the Nobel Peace Prize each year.Its five members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament and roughly represent the political makeup of that body.-History:...
(which awards the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
) from 1982 to 1999, since 1991 as Chairman. From 1990 to 1999 he also was member of the board of the Nobel Foundation
Nobel Foundation
The Nobel Foundation is a private institution founded on 29 June 1900 to manage the finances and administration of the Nobel Prizes. The Foundation is based on the last will of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite....
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
In 1962 Francis Sejersted was president of the Norwegian Student's Association representing the student wing of the Conservative Party of Norway
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
, a party has been affiliated with since.
From 1971-1975 he was editor of Historisk Tidsskrift
Historisk Tidsskrift (Norway)
The Historisk Tidsskrift is a Norwegian history journal. It was established in 1871 by Ludvig Ludvigsen Daae and Michael Birkeland. It is published quarterly by the Editing Norwegian Historical Association, and until 1955 the editor-in-chief was identical with the chairman of that organization....
("Historical Review") and since 1984 he is a Co-Editor of the New Norwegian Periodical.
Dr. Sejersted was Member of the board at the Institute for Comparative Cultural Studies 1974-1982 and at the Norwegian Research Council for Basic Research 1980-1983 and Chairman of the Norwegian Science Policy Council 1984-1988.
In 1985 he entered the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway.-History:The University of Oslo was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Throndhjem had no university, but had a learned...
, in 1989 the Academia Europea, The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences in 1993, The Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences 1995, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
1997 and finally in 2001 The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters is a learned society based in Trondheim, Norway.-History:DKNVS was founded in 1760 by bishop of Nidaros Johan Ernst Gunnerus, headmaster at the Trondheim Cathedral School Gerhard Schøning and Councillor of State Peter Frederik Suhm under the name...
. He is also a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
The Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature is a Norwegian learned body on matters pertaining to the Dano-Norwegian language. Its primary role is regulating the written standard known as Riksmål ....
.
From 1996 to 1996 he chaired the governmental Freedom of Expression Commission in Norway and became Chairman of The Freedom of Expression Foundation in 2000.
Francis Sejersted is Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
and the Swedish Order of the Polar Star
Order of the Polar Star
The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....
.