Fields of research: Gender studies, heritage studies, museum studies, social inclusion and exclusion mecanisms
Dr Wera Grahn has a broad empirical interest in the field of cultural heritage, ranging from museums to monuments, historical sites, places and landscapes. Her main research questions focus on how we use history today, how it is created, what it does to people and societies, what interests are working as driving forces in these processes, whose history is promoted and regarded and whose is not, and how can we find new more inclusive and diverse ways to use various parts of cultural heritage to tell alternative histories.
Her present research interests are primarily turned towards the basic premises governing the field of cultural heritage. A general subordination of certain groups in society often tends to be reproduced in the sector of cultural heritage, which adds to the mechanisms of social exclusion and feeling of alienation in society. This makes it necessary to broaden the scope of what cultural heritage can be and to problematize the ground on which the cultural heritage management is based today and to find ways in which cultural heritage of tomorrow can become an empowering and democratic part in society for more groups.
List of selected publications
Grahn, Wera 2011. Intersektionella konstruktioner av norskhet i nutida kulturminnesförvaltning. (Intersectional constructions of Norwegianess in contemporary cultural heritage management). In: Socialogi i dag. Årgang 41, Nr. 3-4/2011, pp 35-66
Grahn, Wera 2011 Intersectionality and the Construction of Cultural Heritage Management. In: Archaeologies: Journal of the World Archaeological Congress. Vol. 7/Nr 1/April 2011, pp 222-250.
Grahn, W., Berg, S.K., Larsen, K.C., 2010. Fragmentert eller representativt? Konstruksjonen av kulturminneverdier langs Akerselva i Oslo ( Fragmented or representative? The construction of cultural heritage value along Akerselva in Oslo). – NIKU Tema 33:65, s7–9. Oslo: NIKU.
Grahn, Wera 2009a Intersektionella konstruktioner och kulturminnesförvaltning. (Intersectional constructions and cultural heritage management). NIKU-rapport 27. Oslo: NIKU.
Grahn, Wera 2009b Ett kulturminne i vardande (Cultural heritage in the making). I: Tidsskrift for kulturforskning (Journal of Cultural Research), vol. 8(2009)nr 1, pp 5 –16.
Grahn, Wera 2008 Lokala röster och lokala värden. En studie av Ålgårds kyrka. (Local vocies and local values.) NIKU-rapport 20. Oslo: NIKU.
Grahn, Wera 2007 Genuskonstruktioner och museer. Handbok för genusintegrering. (Gender constructions and museums. A Handbook). Uppsala, Stockholm: Upplandsmuseet, Statens kulturråd.
Grahn, Wera 2006 ”Känn dig själf”. Genus, historiekonstruktion och kulturhistoriska museirepresentationer. (“Know Thyself”: Gender, Historical constructions and representations in a Museum of Cultural History)Linköping: Tema Genus, Linköpings universitet.
Grahn, Wera 2005a Från vardagsartefakter till museala fakta. (From everyday artifact to museal fact) I: Det bekönade museet. Uppsala: Etnolore.
Grahn, Wera 2005b Inbyggda genusskript. Föreställningar om kön på museifasader. (Build- in gender scripts. Gendered imagination on a museum wall) Gender scripts built into the wall. Images of gender on a museum wall). I: Speglingar av rum. Stockholm; Symposion.
Grahn, Wera 2005c The Artifact of the Month. Internetpublicerat konferenspaper från Museum and the Web 2005. Hämtat från internet 20071212 http://www.archimuse.com/mw2005/papers/bowen/bowen.html
Grahn, Wera 2004 Representationer av kön på Tekniska museet. (Representations of gender at The Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology I: Tankar och texter om industrisamhällets kulturarv. Härnösand: ISKA.
Grahn, Wera 2003a Könsmedvetna museiberättelse.(Gender informed museum narratives) I: Samtid & museer, nr 3–4 november 2003. Stockholm: Samdok.
Respatrimoni 