Books by Maria Persson
Tourism, Knowledge and Learning, 2022
This book contributes to the understanding of how tourism can be designed to provide conditions f... more This book contributes to the understanding of how tourism can be designed to provide conditions for learning. This involves learning for tourists, the tourist industry, public authorities and local communities. We explore how tourism, knowledge and learning can be used as means towards sustainable development through current, new or changed structures, concepts, activities and communication efforts. The book should be seen as both an inspiration for tourism actors (e.g. tourism attractions, policy makers and other industry actors), and a scholarly contribution to further research. A holistic approach distinguishes this book from most existing literature that focuses on separate units of tourism-for instance, personal or community well-being, nature-based tourism, cultural heritage tourism or tourism that is a result of researchers' travels (so-called scientific tourism). The various contributors to the book provide a range of perspectives and experiences, from social sciences with a focus on marketing, innovation management, human geography and environmental law, to arts and humanities with a focus on heritage studies, archaeology and photography and, finally, to natural sciences with a focus on marine sciences.
Kalla kriget var en tid av upprustning, terrorbalans och rädsla för att ett varmt krig skulle blo... more Kalla kriget var en tid av upprustning, terrorbalans och rädsla för att ett varmt krig skulle blossa upp. Sverige befann sig inklämt mellan de två supermakterna, Warsawapakten och NATO. Genom sitt geopolitiska läge kom Sverige att påverkas av kalla kriget i stor omfattning, även Sverige upprustade kraftigt. Runt om i Sverige finns idag lämningar efter militära anläggningar från denna tid. De är i många fall idag avvecklade, avmilitariserade och nedmonterade. Dessa lämningar är ett viktigt kulturarv som rymmer kalla krigets historia sett från en svensk horisont. I Ledningsplats Björn och kalla krigets kulturarv tas läsaren med till det svenska attackflygets krigsstabsplats. I boken behandlas frågor som vad de materiella spåren efter kalla kriget kan berätta och vad det innebär att arbeta med ett hemligt kulturarv. Ledningsplats Björn är den första lämning från kalla kriget som har undersökts arkeologiskt i Sverige.
Ramneskärsparken – sentida kulturarv med arkeologisk blick
Boken handlar om utgrävningen av Ramn... more Ramneskärsparken – sentida kulturarv med arkeologisk blick
Boken handlar om utgrävningen av Ramneskärsparken, en festplats igång mellan 1939-1955. Där träffades människor och roade sig för ett halvt sekel sedan, därefter hade platsen legat öde och tyst från musik och skratt. Det skulle återigen komma att bli liv och rörelse på Ramneskärsparken då både fynd och minnen kom i dagen under utgrävningen. Det här är berättelsen om ett modernt kulturarv – dansbanan, och om hur nutidshistorien kan återberättas med arkeologiska metoder som ledstjärna.
Skatås är en välkänd och välbesökt plats i Göteborg men få känner till att Skatås har en mycket s... more Skatås är en välkänd och välbesökt plats i Göteborg men få känner till att Skatås har en mycket speciell historia. 1945 kom över 500 överlevande från nazistiska koncentrationsläger till Skatås som då iordningställts som mottagningsläger för deras konvalescens. Förläggningen stängde 1946 och blev redan då det rekreationsområde det är idag. Att Skatås är en del av världshistorien har utelämnats ur historieskrivningen och händelserna 1945-46 har fallit i glömska. Man kan säga att Skatås är en välkänd plats med en bortglömd historia. Med detta som utgångspunkt genomfördes 2008 ett samtidsarkeologiskt projekt på Skatås i syfte att väcka minnet av Skatås historia och återberätta denna historia. Förutom att gräva i marken grävdes det även i arkiven och i människors minnen. Den här boken handlar om utgrävningen av denna minneslucka.
Articles by Maria Persson
Historisk tidskrift, 2024
Västergötlands fornminnesförenings tidskrift, 2017
Primitive tider Nr 20 (2018), 2018
During the great wars, the remains of hundreds of killed soldiers ended up on Swedish territory. ... more During the great wars, the remains of hundreds of killed soldiers ended up on Swedish territory. They were either sailors, killed in battles at sea and taken by currents to the Swedish coast, or shot down pilots. When discovered, the remains were buried at local cemeteries. During the 1960s a process of re-burial was initiated, and close to 500 bodies was moved to a cemetery at Kviberg in the city of Gothenburg. Two war cemeteries were created, separating German soldiers from soldiers that served in the Commonwealth.
In this paper we address the materiality and spatiality of the two war cemeteries in order to understand how these war graves take part in commemoration practices, and also how they create and manifest post-war narratives of the area of the great wars. Starting at the perceived differences in the setting and design of the two cemeteries, we argue that visitors of the war graves encounter a feeling of being close to global historic events. The war graves materialize abstract narratives of great histories at a micro-level in a place far away from the actual conflicts. Simultaneously, the war graves manifest post-war national identities that has very little to do with the individuals buried in the graves or the geographical context of their setting.
This text presents the results of a contemporary archaeological investigation of an important Swe... more This text presents the results of a contemporary archaeological investigation of an important Swedish Cold War installation, Command Centre Bjorn. This centre was connected to the Air Force Attack Squadron and together with the coastal artillery and the navy it constituted a crucial part of the Swedish defence efforts during the Cold War period. The text also discusses questions concerning heritage processes, and it stresses that a contemporary archaeology approach can contribute with new insights into the Cold War and its heritage in Sweden, as well as canalize and offer guidance to the huge public interest in the material remains from this period in Sweden.
Thesis by Maria Persson
Minnen från vår samtid. Arkeologi, materialitet och samtidshistoria. (Memories of our time. Archaeology, Materiality and Contemporary History).
Abstract:
During the last decade, the perspective of contemporary archaeology has been
incorpor... more Abstract:
During the last decade, the perspective of contemporary archaeology has been
incorporated into the discipline of archaeology. The purpose of this doctoral thesis is
to problematize contemporary archaeology as a field of research with emphasis on the
development of methodology and the public potential that is inherent in this
perspective. These are two central aspects that I consider to be of substantial
significance, at the same time as they have not been given enough attention in
previous research. The study is conducted on a theoretical framework based on the
concept of materiality and on memory processes. The main questions concerns how
contemporary archaeology can be conducted in practice, what results this provides and
why these results are reached.
The thesis is based on the analyses of two case studies consisting of the
archaeological investigations of the amusement park Ramneskärsparken and the Skatås
rehabilitation camp, both of the 1940s. The study is conducted by using the method
of component analysis. Four components have been identified as important and
significant for a contemporary archaeological perspective; Archaeological methods,
Contemporary archaeology and community archaeology, Contemporary archaeology as an
interdisciplinary science and The assemblage of finds.
The methods discussed in the thesis give rise to a demand of knowledge from
people outside the archaeological discipline. It also highlights the importance of both
archaeological methods and interdisciplinary work including oral and written sources.
In conclusion, the study demonstrates that matter sets things in motion. It is the
meeting and interaction between people and material culture that activates memories
connected to the sites in question, when excavated together with community groups.
Contemporary archaeology works in contexts that now living people have experiences
of and therefore also valuable knowledge about. Carrying out contemporary
archaeological projects together with these people provides unique prospects of
interpreting and working with the archaeological material. The results of the thesis
show that archaeology of recent contexts partly serves other purposes and provides
other values than an archaeology directed towards older contexts. The reason for this is
that contemporary archaeology is an archaeology that has an overall focus on now
living people, on ourselves.
Keywords: Archaeology of the recent past, Contemporary archaeology, Heritage,
Conflict archaeology, Materiality, Archaeological Methods, Community archaeology,
Public Archaeology, Memory, Skatås, Ramneskärsparken.
Book Chapters by Maria Persson
ATTACK!
Undersökningen av ett hemligt kulturarv från kalla kriget. Exemplet Björn, Första flygesk... more ATTACK!
Undersökningen av ett hemligt kulturarv från kalla kriget. Exemplet Björn, Första flygeskaderns krigsstabsplats.
Vägskälens kulturarv – kulturarv vid vägskäl. (2014) Martins Holmberg, I. (eds.). Makadam förlag.
Med hjärta och hjärna. En vänbok till professor Elisabeth Arwill-Nordbladh. Alexandersson, Henrik, Andreeff, Alexander & Bünz, Annika (red.). GOTARC Series A. Gothenburg Archaeological Studies, Vol 5. Institutionen för historiska studier, Göteborgs universitet.
Ruin Memories Materialities, Aesthetics and the Archaeology of the Recent Past
Papers by Maria Persson
Journal of Conflict Archaeology, 2018
Kalla kriget var en tid av upprustning, terrorbalans och radsla for att ett varmt krig skulle blo... more Kalla kriget var en tid av upprustning, terrorbalans och radsla for att ett varmt krig skulle blossa upp. Sverige befann sig inklamt mellan de tva supermakterna, Warsawapakten och NATO. Genom sitt geopolitiska lage kom Sverige att paverkas av kalla kriget i stor omfattning, aven Sverige upprustade kraftigt. Runt om i Sverige finns idag lamningar efter militara anlaggningar fran denna tid. De ar i manga fall idag avvecklade, avmilitariserade och nedmonterade. Dessa lamningar ar ett viktigt kulturarv som rymmer kalla krigets historia sett fran en svensk horisont. I Ledningsplats Bjorn och kalla krigets kulturarv tas lasaren med till det svenska attackflygets krigsstabsplats. I boken behandlas fragor som vad de materiella sparen efter kalla kriget kan beratta och vad det innebar att arbeta med ett hemligt kulturarv. Ledningsplats Bjorn ar den forsta lamning fran kalla kriget som har undersokts arkeologiskt i Sverige.
Primitive Tider, 1970
During the great wars, the remains of hundreds of killed soldiers ended up on Swedish territory. ... more During the great wars, the remains of hundreds of killed soldiers ended up on Swedish territory. They were either sailors, killed in battles at sea and taken by currents to the Swedish coast, or shot down pilots. When discovered, the remains were buried at local cemeteries. During the 1960s a process of re-burial was initiated, and close to 500 bodies was moved to a cemetery at Kviberg in the city of Gothenburg. Two war cemeteries were created, separating German soldiers from soldiers that served in the Commonwealth.In this paper we address the materiality and spatiality of the two war cemeteries in order to understand how these war graves take part in commemoration practices, and also how they create and manifest post-war narratives of the area of the great wars. Starting at the perceived differences in the setting and design of the two cemeteries, we argue that visitors of the war graves encounter a feeling of being close to global historic events. The war graves materialize abstr...
Journal of Conflict Archaeology, 2018
This text presents the results of a contemporary archaeological
investigation of an important Sw... more This text presents the results of a contemporary archaeological
investigation of an important Swedish Cold War installation,
Command Centre Bjorn. This centre was connected to the Air
Force Attack Squadron and together with the coastal artillery
and the navy it constituted a crucial part of the Swedish defence
efforts during the Cold War period. The text also discusses questions
concerning heritage processes, and it stresses that a contemporary
archaeology approach can contribute with new insights
into the Cold War and its heritage in Sweden, as well as canalize
and offer guidance to the huge public interest in the material
remains from this period in Sweden.
Counterpoint: Essays in Archaeology and Heritage Studies in Honour of Professor Kristian Kristiansen
Publications by Maria Persson
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Books by Maria Persson
Boken handlar om utgrävningen av Ramneskärsparken, en festplats igång mellan 1939-1955. Där träffades människor och roade sig för ett halvt sekel sedan, därefter hade platsen legat öde och tyst från musik och skratt. Det skulle återigen komma att bli liv och rörelse på Ramneskärsparken då både fynd och minnen kom i dagen under utgrävningen. Det här är berättelsen om ett modernt kulturarv – dansbanan, och om hur nutidshistorien kan återberättas med arkeologiska metoder som ledstjärna.
Articles by Maria Persson
In this paper we address the materiality and spatiality of the two war cemeteries in order to understand how these war graves take part in commemoration practices, and also how they create and manifest post-war narratives of the area of the great wars. Starting at the perceived differences in the setting and design of the two cemeteries, we argue that visitors of the war graves encounter a feeling of being close to global historic events. The war graves materialize abstract narratives of great histories at a micro-level in a place far away from the actual conflicts. Simultaneously, the war graves manifest post-war national identities that has very little to do with the individuals buried in the graves or the geographical context of their setting.
Thesis by Maria Persson
During the last decade, the perspective of contemporary archaeology has been
incorporated into the discipline of archaeology. The purpose of this doctoral thesis is
to problematize contemporary archaeology as a field of research with emphasis on the
development of methodology and the public potential that is inherent in this
perspective. These are two central aspects that I consider to be of substantial
significance, at the same time as they have not been given enough attention in
previous research. The study is conducted on a theoretical framework based on the
concept of materiality and on memory processes. The main questions concerns how
contemporary archaeology can be conducted in practice, what results this provides and
why these results are reached.
The thesis is based on the analyses of two case studies consisting of the
archaeological investigations of the amusement park Ramneskärsparken and the Skatås
rehabilitation camp, both of the 1940s. The study is conducted by using the method
of component analysis. Four components have been identified as important and
significant for a contemporary archaeological perspective; Archaeological methods,
Contemporary archaeology and community archaeology, Contemporary archaeology as an
interdisciplinary science and The assemblage of finds.
The methods discussed in the thesis give rise to a demand of knowledge from
people outside the archaeological discipline. It also highlights the importance of both
archaeological methods and interdisciplinary work including oral and written sources.
In conclusion, the study demonstrates that matter sets things in motion. It is the
meeting and interaction between people and material culture that activates memories
connected to the sites in question, when excavated together with community groups.
Contemporary archaeology works in contexts that now living people have experiences
of and therefore also valuable knowledge about. Carrying out contemporary
archaeological projects together with these people provides unique prospects of
interpreting and working with the archaeological material. The results of the thesis
show that archaeology of recent contexts partly serves other purposes and provides
other values than an archaeology directed towards older contexts. The reason for this is
that contemporary archaeology is an archaeology that has an overall focus on now
living people, on ourselves.
Keywords: Archaeology of the recent past, Contemporary archaeology, Heritage,
Conflict archaeology, Materiality, Archaeological Methods, Community archaeology,
Public Archaeology, Memory, Skatås, Ramneskärsparken.
Book Chapters by Maria Persson
Undersökningen av ett hemligt kulturarv från kalla kriget. Exemplet Björn, Första flygeskaderns krigsstabsplats.
Papers by Maria Persson
investigation of an important Swedish Cold War installation,
Command Centre Bjorn. This centre was connected to the Air
Force Attack Squadron and together with the coastal artillery
and the navy it constituted a crucial part of the Swedish defence
efforts during the Cold War period. The text also discusses questions
concerning heritage processes, and it stresses that a contemporary
archaeology approach can contribute with new insights
into the Cold War and its heritage in Sweden, as well as canalize
and offer guidance to the huge public interest in the material
remains from this period in Sweden.
Publications by Maria Persson
Boken handlar om utgrävningen av Ramneskärsparken, en festplats igång mellan 1939-1955. Där träffades människor och roade sig för ett halvt sekel sedan, därefter hade platsen legat öde och tyst från musik och skratt. Det skulle återigen komma att bli liv och rörelse på Ramneskärsparken då både fynd och minnen kom i dagen under utgrävningen. Det här är berättelsen om ett modernt kulturarv – dansbanan, och om hur nutidshistorien kan återberättas med arkeologiska metoder som ledstjärna.
In this paper we address the materiality and spatiality of the two war cemeteries in order to understand how these war graves take part in commemoration practices, and also how they create and manifest post-war narratives of the area of the great wars. Starting at the perceived differences in the setting and design of the two cemeteries, we argue that visitors of the war graves encounter a feeling of being close to global historic events. The war graves materialize abstract narratives of great histories at a micro-level in a place far away from the actual conflicts. Simultaneously, the war graves manifest post-war national identities that has very little to do with the individuals buried in the graves or the geographical context of their setting.
During the last decade, the perspective of contemporary archaeology has been
incorporated into the discipline of archaeology. The purpose of this doctoral thesis is
to problematize contemporary archaeology as a field of research with emphasis on the
development of methodology and the public potential that is inherent in this
perspective. These are two central aspects that I consider to be of substantial
significance, at the same time as they have not been given enough attention in
previous research. The study is conducted on a theoretical framework based on the
concept of materiality and on memory processes. The main questions concerns how
contemporary archaeology can be conducted in practice, what results this provides and
why these results are reached.
The thesis is based on the analyses of two case studies consisting of the
archaeological investigations of the amusement park Ramneskärsparken and the Skatås
rehabilitation camp, both of the 1940s. The study is conducted by using the method
of component analysis. Four components have been identified as important and
significant for a contemporary archaeological perspective; Archaeological methods,
Contemporary archaeology and community archaeology, Contemporary archaeology as an
interdisciplinary science and The assemblage of finds.
The methods discussed in the thesis give rise to a demand of knowledge from
people outside the archaeological discipline. It also highlights the importance of both
archaeological methods and interdisciplinary work including oral and written sources.
In conclusion, the study demonstrates that matter sets things in motion. It is the
meeting and interaction between people and material culture that activates memories
connected to the sites in question, when excavated together with community groups.
Contemporary archaeology works in contexts that now living people have experiences
of and therefore also valuable knowledge about. Carrying out contemporary
archaeological projects together with these people provides unique prospects of
interpreting and working with the archaeological material. The results of the thesis
show that archaeology of recent contexts partly serves other purposes and provides
other values than an archaeology directed towards older contexts. The reason for this is
that contemporary archaeology is an archaeology that has an overall focus on now
living people, on ourselves.
Keywords: Archaeology of the recent past, Contemporary archaeology, Heritage,
Conflict archaeology, Materiality, Archaeological Methods, Community archaeology,
Public Archaeology, Memory, Skatås, Ramneskärsparken.
Undersökningen av ett hemligt kulturarv från kalla kriget. Exemplet Björn, Första flygeskaderns krigsstabsplats.
investigation of an important Swedish Cold War installation,
Command Centre Bjorn. This centre was connected to the Air
Force Attack Squadron and together with the coastal artillery
and the navy it constituted a crucial part of the Swedish defence
efforts during the Cold War period. The text also discusses questions
concerning heritage processes, and it stresses that a contemporary
archaeology approach can contribute with new insights
into the Cold War and its heritage in Sweden, as well as canalize
and offer guidance to the huge public interest in the material
remains from this period in Sweden.