Per Wisselgren
Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor at Department of History of Science and Ideas
- Telephone:
- +46 18 471 15 77
- E-mail:
- per.wisselgren@idehist.uu.se
- Visiting address:
- Engelska parken, Thunbergsvägen 3P
- Postal address:
- Box 629
751 26 UPPSALA
Download contact information for Per Wisselgren at Department of History of Science and Ideas
- CV:
- Download CV
Short presentation
I am Senior Lecturer in History of Science and Ideas, Associate Professor (docent) of Sociology, and Deputy Head of the Department. Currently, I am engaged in two research projects. The first is a book project on UNESCO and International Social Science in the Cold War. The second is a newly launched project on the history of research funding. I teach on courses in Science and Technology Studies, the Social Sciences program, and History of Science and Ideas
Biography
- PhD in History of Science and Ideas, Umeå University, 2000
- Postdoctoral researcher, Swedish Institute for Studies in Education and Research (SISTER), Stockholm, 2001–2003
- Assistant Professor (forskarassistent), Vetenskapsrådet, 2006–2010
- Associate Professor (docent) of Sociology, Umeå University, 2012
- Program Coordinator, Library and Information Science, Umeå University, 2017–2021
- Recognised University Teacher (meriterad lärare), Umeå University, 2018
- Senior Lecturer in History of Science and Ideas, Uppsala University, 2021–.
Visiting fellowships at University of Sussex, Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, London South Bank University, Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte, Universität Potsdam and University of Toronto.
Research
Ongoing and previous research projects (as PI):
- ”Funding Effects: The Emergence of Public Research Councils and the Formation of the Human Sciences in Sweden, 1947–1977” (The Swedish Research Council, Vetenskapsrådet, VR, 2024–2027), w. Hampus Östh Gustafsson & Tobias Dalberg.
- ”Alva Myrdal and Cold War International Social Science: Visions, Practices and Geopolitics at UNESCO, 1950–1955” (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, RJ, 2013–2016 & RJ Sabbatical, 2021–2022).
- ”Intersectional Peripheries in the History of the Social Sciences” (Umeå University’s Young Researcher’s Award, 2010–2012).
- ”The History of the Social Reportage and Its Relation to the Social Sciences in Sweden, 1840–2000” (VR, 2006–2010).
- ”Boundaries of Social Knowledge: Academisation and Gender in Britain and Sweden, 1880–1960” (STINT, 2001–2002 & RJ, 2003–2006).
- ”The Social Question and the Rise of Social Science in Sweden, 1830–1920”. (PhD project, Umeå University, 1995–2000).

Publications
Selection of publications
Knowledge Boundaries and the History of Sociology
Part of The Palgrave Handbook of the History of Human Sciences, p. 917-934, Palgrave Macmillan, 2022
Women and extra-academic social research in Sweden 1900–1950: A sociology of knowledge approach
Part of International Review of Sociology, p. 123-143, 2021
- DOI for Women and extra-academic social research in Sweden 1900–1950: A sociology of knowledge approach
- Download full text (pdf) of Women and extra-academic social research in Sweden 1900–1950: A sociology of knowledge approach
Part of Cold war social science, p. 287-313, Palgrave Macmillan, 2021
Part of Serendipities: Journal for the Sociology and History of the Social Sciences, p. 148-182, 2017
- DOI for From Utopian One-worldism to Geopolitical Intergovernmentalism: UNESCO's Department of Social Sciences as an International Boundary Organization, 1946-1955
- Download full text (pdf) of From Utopian One-worldism to Geopolitical Intergovernmentalism: UNESCO's Department of Social Sciences as an International Boundary Organization, 1946-1955
The social scientific gaze: the social question and the rise of academic social science in Sweden
Ashgate, 2015
Social science in context: historical, sociological, and global perspectives
Nordic Academic Press, 2013
History of Participatory Media: Politics and Publics, 1750–2000
Routledge, 2011
Par i vetenskap och politik: intellektuella äktenskap i moderniteten
Boréa, 2011
Recent publications
Part of Nordic Journal of Educational History, 2025
- DOI for Review (Swedish): Henrik Björck, Vetenskap och affärer: Ekonomutbildningens akademisering speglad i Handelshögskolans bana genom 1900-talets första hälft: Göteborg: Makadam förlag, 2023
- Download full text (pdf) of Review (Swedish): Henrik Björck, Vetenskap och affärer: Ekonomutbildningens akademisering speglad i Handelshögskolans bana genom 1900-talets första hälft: Göteborg: Makadam förlag, 2023
Part of Scandia, p. 139-141, 2023
Knowledge Boundaries and the History of Sociology
Part of The Palgrave Handbook of the History of Human Sciences, p. 917-934, Palgrave Macmillan, 2022
Part of Centaurus, p. 309-312, 2022
- DOI for Edited by Kirsti Niskanen and Michael J. Barany, Gender, Embodiment, and the History of the Scholarly Persona: Incarnations and Contestations. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021
- Download full text (pdf) of Edited by Kirsti Niskanen and Michael J. Barany, Gender, Embodiment, and the History of the Scholarly Persona: Incarnations and Contestations. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021
Alva och Gunnar Myrdal: Policyorienterade samhällsforskare
Part of Sociologins klassiker, p. 369-384, Studentlitteratur AB, 2022
All publications
Articles in journal
Library spirit personifierad: Greta Linder och den moderna folkbibliotekarien
Part of Biblis, p. 65-70, 2021
Women and extra-academic social research in Sweden 1900–1950: A sociology of knowledge approach
Part of International Review of Sociology, p. 123-143, 2021
- DOI for Women and extra-academic social research in Sweden 1900–1950: A sociology of knowledge approach
- Download full text (pdf) of Women and extra-academic social research in Sweden 1900–1950: A sociology of knowledge approach
Humanvetenskaplig internationalisering som ideal och praktik: en introduktion
Part of Lychnos, p. 195-198, 2018
Part of Lychnos, p. 235-254, 2018
Part of Serendipities: Journal for the Sociology and History of the Social Sciences, p. 148-182, 2017
- DOI for From Utopian One-worldism to Geopolitical Intergovernmentalism: UNESCO's Department of Social Sciences as an International Boundary Organization, 1946-1955
- Download full text (pdf) of From Utopian One-worldism to Geopolitical Intergovernmentalism: UNESCO's Department of Social Sciences as an International Boundary Organization, 1946-1955
Part of Ideas in History, p. 5-10, 2009
The historiography of Swedish sociology and the bounding of disciplinary identity
Part of Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, p. 159-176, 2006
Sociologin som inte blev av: Gustaf Steffen och tidig svensk socialvetenskap
Part of Sociologisk forskning, p. 75-116, 1997
Books
Chapters in book
Knowledge Boundaries and the History of Sociology
Part of The Palgrave Handbook of the History of Human Sciences, p. 917-934, Palgrave Macmillan, 2022
Alva och Gunnar Myrdal: Policyorienterade samhällsforskare
Part of Sociologins klassiker, p. 369-384, Studentlitteratur AB, 2022
Part of Humanvetenskapernas verkningar, p. 64-91, Dialogos Förlag, 2021
Part of Cold war social science, p. 287-313, Palgrave Macmillan, 2021
Part of Bibliotekarier i teori och praktik, p. 9-14, BTJ Förlag, 2018
Part of Jane Addams' Sociology and the Spirit of Social Entrepreneurship, p. 131-143, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2018
Bibliotekarieutbildning och bibliotekspraktik: en professionshistorisk triangulering
Part of Bibliotekarier i teori och praktik, p. 17-38, BTJ Förlag, 2018
Introduction: contextualizing social science
Part of Social science in context, p. 9-18, Nordic Academic Press, 2013
Part of Social science in context, p. 33-47, Nordic Academic Press, 2013
Part of For Better or For Worse?, p. 193-220, Birkhäuser Verlag, 2012
Participatory Media in Historical Perspective: An Introduction
Part of History of Participatory Media, p. 1-9, Routledge, 2011
Expedition Robinson, Reality TV, and the History of the Social Experiment
Part of History of Participatory Media, p. 142-157, Routledge, 2011
Part of Par i vetenskap och politik, p. 44-86, Boréa, 2011
Part of Par i vetenskap och politik, p. 13-43, Boréa, 2011
Women as Public Intellectuals: Kerstin Hesselgren and Alva Myrdal
Part of Intellectuals and their Publics, p. 225-242, Ashgate Publishing, Farnham, UK, 2009
Part of Academics as public intellectuals, p. 173-195, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008
Vetenskap och /eller politik?: Om gränsteorier och utredningsväsendets vetenskapshistoria
Part of Mångsysslare och gränsöverskridare, p. 103-119, Institutionen för Idé- och samhällsstudier, Umeå universitet, 2008
Kollektivhuset och villa Myrdal: om samhällsvetenskapens rum i folkhemmet
Part of Topos, p. 130-151, Carlsson Bokförlag, 2006
CSA och det sociala kunskapsfältets gränser
Part of Ligga till last, p. 37-49, Gleerups, 2006
Part of Den mediala vetenskapen, p. 253-272, Bokförlaget Nya Doxa, Nora, 2004
Det sociala reportaget – journalistik, litteratur eller vetenskap?
Part of Den ocensurerade verkligheten i reportage, bild och undersökningar, p. 81-102, Carlsson Bokförlag, 2003
Universitetens kulturella sammanhang: Platsbundna nätverk och lokala strategier
Part of Kulturen i kunskapssamhället, p. 121-137, Bokförlaget Nya Doxa, 2003
Viktor Lorén: Välfärdsbyggets obemärkte entreprenör
Part of Sekelskiftets utmaningar, p. 227-254, Carlssons, 2001
Hemma, borta och på väg: Robinson och det sociala reportaget
Part of Reseberättelser, p. 256-275, Carlssons, 2001
Part of Samhällets Linneaner, p. 51-92, Carlssons, 2000
Collections (editor)
Bibliotekarier i teori och praktik: utbildningsperspektiv på en unik profession
BTJ Förlag, 2018
Social science in context: historical, sociological, and global perspectives
Nordic Academic Press, 2013
History of Participatory Media: Politics and Publics, 1750–2000
Routledge, 2011
Par i vetenskap och politik: intellektuella äktenskap i moderniteten
Boréa, 2011
Conference proceedings (editor)
Monograph doctoral thesis
Reports
Other
Part of Nordic Journal of Educational History, 2025
- DOI for Review (Swedish): Henrik Björck, Vetenskap och affärer: Ekonomutbildningens akademisering speglad i Handelshögskolans bana genom 1900-talets första hälft: Göteborg: Makadam förlag, 2023
- Download full text (pdf) of Review (Swedish): Henrik Björck, Vetenskap och affärer: Ekonomutbildningens akademisering speglad i Handelshögskolans bana genom 1900-talets första hälft: Göteborg: Makadam förlag, 2023
Part of Scandia, p. 139-141, 2023
Part of Centaurus, p. 309-312, 2022
- DOI for Edited by Kirsti Niskanen and Michael J. Barany, Gender, Embodiment, and the History of the Scholarly Persona: Incarnations and Contestations. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021
- Download full text (pdf) of Edited by Kirsti Niskanen and Michael J. Barany, Gender, Embodiment, and the History of the Scholarly Persona: Incarnations and Contestations. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021
Part of Lychnos, p. 352-358, 2021
Part of Nordic Journal of Educational History, p. 129-135, 2018
- DOI for Tobias Dalberg Mot lärdomens topp: Svenska humanisters och samhällsvetares ursprung, utbildning och yrkesbana under 1900-talets första hälft
- Download full text (pdf) of Tobias Dalberg Mot lärdomens topp: Svenska humanisters och samhällsvetares ursprung, utbildning och yrkesbana under 1900-talets första hälft
A Historical Account of Danish Sociology: A Troubled Perspective
Part of Acta Sociologica, p. 286-287, 2017
Visioner om medborgerliga publiker
Part of Lychnos, p. 282-287, 2013
Part of Lychnos, p. 256-260, 2012
Part of Lychnos, p. 297-301, 2011
Part of Lychnos, p. 394-395, 2009
Politisk vetenskap och vetenskaplig politik
Part of Lychnos, p. 304-309, 2003
Statistik och nationell gemenskap
Part of Historisk Tidskrift, p. 356-363, 2002