Research

The history of Arkivet helps create the values underlying research activities.  By retelling the stories of torture, contempt for human life, and anti-democratic forces, there is a starting point for drawing parallels with today’s challenges:  How can we secure a future where similar events do not repeat themselves?

 Stiftelsen Arkivet studies how the retelling of and reflection on a society’s turbulent past can help create attitudes, knowledge, and understanding in order to secure the basis for lasting peace and democracy. 

• Research and development projects focus locally by documenting and researching the events related to the time of occupation in Agder during the Second World War.  From this, the effectiveness of Stiftelsen Arkivet’s retelling of history is studied. 
• The projects focus nationally by comparing knowledge among similar institutions.
• The projects are also internationally oriented by acquiring and exchanging knowledge about how post-conflict societies can use history retelling and historical reflection as an instrument to secure a foundation for lasting peace, reconciliation, and democracy.

Stiftelsen Arkivet works locally with the University of Agder and Agder Research.  Nationally, it works with the Holocaust Center and the Falstad Center on shared research projects.  Stiftelsen Arkivet works internationally with museums as well as documentation and research centres in several countries such as Cambodia, South Africa, Croatia, and Spain. 

Stiftelsen Arkivet looks for research answers by applying an interdisciplinary perspective.  Through doctorial work and other research projects (master’s degree stipends, evaluations, and theory development) the research problems are illuminated by different theoretical and methodological points of view.