Dr Elisabeth Niklasson

Biography

I am a Swedish archaeologist who began my studies at the University of Gothenburg, where I did a double Masters in Cultural Heritage Management and Archaeological Computing (2009). I then went on to do a Ph.D. in archaeology at Stockholm University (2016). My thesis explored what effects EU grant systems in culture have on archaeological networking and research. It was based on participant observation in Brussels, interviews with archaeologists, archive studies and document analysis.

Before coming to Aberdeen I held a postdoc at Stanford University, USA (2017-2019). At Stanford Archaeology Center I taught courses on social and political aspects of heritage and pursued two main lines of research. One looked at the identity politics of a relatively new EU heritage scheme called the European Heritage Label. The other examined the role of heritage within far-right and populist right movements in Europe.

Aside from researching archeo-politics, I have participated in archaeological field ventures in Sweden, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and on Ireland. I have also worked with grant administration for the EU cultural programs at the European Commission in Brussels and served as an assistant teacher in archaeological field courses and critical heritage courses at Stockholm University.

Teaching Responsibilities

Lecturer on the following courses:

AY1003: Archaeology in action - an introduction (ug)

AY2505: The archaeology of the north: lifeways & cultural change (ug)

AY3521: Historical archaeology (ug)

AY4511: Indigenous, community-based and public archaeology (ug)

AY5002: Theory and method in research (pgt)

AY5505: The world of vikings (pgt)

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

Aside from timetabled teaching I supervise many UG and MSc dissertation projects and provide pastoral care for a group of up to 10 students per year.