The Master of the House an His Family. Aspects of Norwegian Family History Then and Now
Sogner, Sølvi: Far sjøl i stua og familien hans. Trekk fra norsk familiehistorie før og nå.Family history concerns everyone. We are all born into a family, we may have started one ourselves. The family is a small, but fundamental unit of society. Nonetheless, for large parts of the twentieth century, Norwegian historical research has been marked by an extensive interest in the state and the official sphere, and by a corresponding absence of interest in the family and the private sphere. This study of Norwegian family history shows that „the informal sector” demands its own share of attention.
As an institution, the family changes over time. These changes come about gradually, almost imperceptibly. A broad time frame is therefore necessary in order to notice the changes. The Master of the House and His Family takes as its point of departure the sixteenth century, when developments pointing toward our time began to materialize. Of particular importance was the emergence of capitalist commerce and its impact on traditional agrarian society. Of no less importance was the expansion of the administrative sphere - locally in particular - which led to a larger emphasis on writing. This official documentation has left a rich resource for historical research.
The sources best suited and most often used to illuminate family history were recorded after the Reformation. Among these, church records, formally instituted in 1736, are the most important. Parsons entered all those items we today call family events, such as weddings, christenings, funerals and - a little later - confirmations. This book is largely based on these sources. The author describes exciting aspects of research that has been conducted at universities and colleges in Norway over the past decades. Graduate students are responsible for much of the research which represents a considerable amount of fresh thinking.
Contents: Preface/Introduction: Why Family History?/People Lived off the Earth - and „something more”/Family and Household/Children Belonged in the Family/Children - a Surprisingly Meager Benefit/The Master of the House and His Wife/Conclusions: The Family Changes - and Disappears?/Literature - Printed and Unprinted
About the Author: Sølvi Sogner is professor of history at the University of Bergen
Publisher: Universitetsforlaget AS 1990
ISBN: 82-00-21030-2
101 pp, paperback
