Honorary doctor who spreads archival joy
Karl-Magnus Johansson, Senior Archivist at the Swedish National Archives in Gothenburg, has been appointed Honorary Doctor of the Faculty of Humanities 2025.
– Archives do not contain a fully written history. They hold millions of documents waiting to be activated and connected by researchers and others who are interested!
Motivation:
Karl-Magnus Johansson, Senior Archivist at the Swedish National Archives in Gothenburg (RA), truly spreads love for archives. He conducts research in microhistory and archival theory, engages in public education, and unearths fascinating discoveries from the collections. Documents revealing the brutal outbreak of cholera in Gothenburg in 1834, a unique speech delivered by British suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst on 1 October 1913, or a wallpaper dealer family's amateur photographs from Stigberget across a hundred years are just a few of the sources he has brought to life.
With critical acumen, he also demonstrates that the archive is anything but dusty; on the contrary, it acts as a protagonist, a producer of knowledge, and a co-creator of cultural heritage. In close collaboration with artists, researchers, and citizens, Karl-Magnus Johansson makes Gothenburg's history visible. He is a scout of the past who simultaneously reminds us how the viewfinder is constructed.
A cheerful and newly appointed honorary doctor reflects on what the concept of “archival love” in the motivation means to him:
–&Բ;That was a lovely description! I suppose it’s about my commitment to demonstrating the potential of archives and making them interesting and relevant—especially for groups who initially may not think archives are for them. It’s so stimulating to communicate how archives can be used in so many different ways!
More accessible archives
Archive users are often associated with elderly genealogy enthusiasts, but archives offer far more possibilities –&Բ;and this is what Karl-Magnus Johansson is passionate about communicating. He does so through public programming, lectures and exhibitions, as well as through courses at the university.
–&Բ;In recent years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with citizen science, where members of the public are invited to participate in co-creation –&Բ;often with the broader aim of making archives more accessible. It’s incredibly rewarding. I’ve also collaborated extensively with artists in recent years. It’s a slightly unconventional approach, but I’ve seen great potential in showing that archives are open to everyone. Artists often have the ability to find new perspectives and dimensions, while we archivists are more set in our ways. We need to be challenged and reflect on how we communicate our archives.
Details that lead further
The concept of “microhistory” involves starting from a small detail and using that as a point of departure from which, ideally, broader insights can emerge.
–&Բ;In recent years, I’ve worked with researchers focusing on photography and film, often starting from a specific photograph or film scene. This approach has revealed threads to follow, which in turn have opened up new perspectives. It’s about highlighting stories and viewpoints that have previously been excluded from the historical narrative, says Karl-Magnus Johansson.
He emphasises that archives enable the writing of history –&Բ;not just by professional historians.
–&Բ;Thanks to our 260-year-old principle of public access, archives are open and available to everyone. Archives offer a great opportunity for you to create history!
Challenges for the archives
One of the challenges is that archives are complex and can be difficult to navigate. But another, according to Karl-Magnus, is communicating a critical understanding of the archives themselves, both in terms of source criticism and how archives are constructed.
–&Բ;What exists and what doesn’t? Why are some things described in certain ways and not others?
Another challenge lies in making archives relevant to contemporary audiences.
–&Բ;That’s a fundamental condition we have to work against. We want to reach more people, and one of the most rewarding experiences is engaging a group that initially showed resistance or disinterest. I have the privilege of teaching students in disciplines ranging from art and visual studies to film and photography. Seeing how they go from being hesitant about archival work to becoming captivated by it –&Բ;realising they can piece things together and write their own histories –&Բ;is fantastic!
Astonishing archival discoveries
When asked about memorable archival finds, Karl-Magnus recalls writing an article about suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst’s visit to Sweden, in connection with the centenary celebration of women’s suffrage.
–&Բ;It was incredibly controversial for her to speak on a Swedish stage – suffragettes were seen as terrorists. I began searching the Gothenburg Police Authority’s archives, where a transcript of her speech was said to exist. I combed through all the 1913 materials and eventually found the speech in a completely different series. It turned out the police had sent a stenographer to monitor and record every word, suspecting that she might say something illegal. It was an amazing experience—and now the speech is available through our digital reading room.
Possibilities for the future
Karl-Magnus Johansson describes the archival field as being in the midst of a revolution, thanks to new technological advances.
–&Բ;For instance, we’ve developed AI tools to transcribe handwriting and can now use AI to turn images of handwritten texts into searchable, readable text. You no longer need a specialised palaeography education to analyse texts from the 18th century, and this development means that archives are becoming relevant for a wider range of research fields. It’s a tremendously exciting time at the National Archives.
Text: Johanna Hillgren
Choreographer Gun Lund has also been named Honorary Doctor of the Faculty of Humanities 2025. Link to an interview with her: Choreographer who wants to archive dance art