
Thomas Hylland Eriksen has passed away
From Tobias Hübinette
November 29, 2024
So sad to read of the passing of the internationally known Norwegian anthropologist and anarchist Thomas Hylland Eriksen, who meant a lot to the research and discussion about ethnicity and nationalism that erupted after the end of the Cold War in the 90s and 00s and who always took up the fight against racism, right-wing extremism and right-wing populism.
I met Thomas on at least three occasions and the last time was in connection with a research internship in Drøbak in Norway together with about 15 other Nordic researchers (of which I was the only Swede) and I remember that Thomas, who had the same political background as myself, was fascinated by my research on adoptees and the "place" of the adoptees in relation to the theories of ethnicity, nationalism, diaspora and migration that Thomas was so knowledgeable about.
"Thomas Hylland Eriksen is dead, 62 years old. He was a professor of social anthropology, an author and an active community debater.”
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Professor Thomas Hylland Eriksen has died: – A rare flower in academia
From NRK
November 27, 2024
Thomas Hylland Eriksen has died, aged 62. He was a professor of social anthropology, author and active public debater.
Thomas Hylland Eriksen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2016. He died tonight. His wife Kari J. Spjeldnæs confirmed this on Facebook.
" Our Thomas, my beloved husband and our kind dad left us peacefully and forever early this evening. We have long known that his unique and adventurous life could not last as long as we wished. Fortunately, we who were closest to him, Ole, Amanda, Kari and Ketil, have had a great time, good conversations and moments for eternity with Thomas in the last few days ."
– A rare flower
University Professor Thorgeir Kolshus, head of the Department of Social Anthropology at UiO, knew Hylland Eriksen well.
He describes his colleague as follows:
– A big international star, but also someone who first-year students could send emails to and get a response.
He says Hylland Eriksen was an anarchist by nature and skeptical of hierarchy.
– He lived it out so that good ideas were good ideas no matter where they came from. He had an enormous work capacity, even in the years when he was seriously ill he did much more than a hardworking employee would usually do.
Kolshus points out that Hylland Eriksen participated in debates, wrote books and chronicles.
– Eight years ago, he was diagnosed with a form of cancer that few survive more than a year. He has lived with a death sentence, and he has done what few manage to do, to let the doctor do his thing and continue living life.
– He was a rare flower.
Community-engaged family
Hylland Eriksen grew up in an intellectual and socially engaged family , which shaped him. He studied philosophy, sociology and social anthropology at the University of Oslo from 1981.
Eriksen was a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Peace Research (Prio) for a short period (1990–1991), before being appointed to the University of Oslo. He was an associate professor from 1991, and was appointed professor in 1995, at the age of 33.
He has been the author and co-author of over 50 books.
In 2019 he received Akademikerprisen.
– As a researcher, you sit alone a lot and are unsure whether anyone cares about what you are working on. Winning this prize means that others find what I do interesting and has value. It is a great encouragement and makes me want to keep going, said Hylland Eriksen at the time.
– Remarkable thinker
Labour Party politician Hadia Tajik describes Hylland Eriksen as a prominent thinker in the public debate for a number of years.
– For me personally, a lot of what he has written has been quite instructive for my own view of identity, of globalization, of nationalism.
She continues:
– And when I, as an adult, have had the pleasure of meeting him a few times, I have experienced him as a very genuine person and intellectually curious.
Author and MDG politician Eivind Trædal writes that Hylland Eriksen was a fantastic mediator and broad-minded thinker.
– What a loss for Norway! We don't have too many of those, and now we have one less. Thank you for everything (and it was certainly not little!).
Svein Stølen, rector of the University of Oslo, says Hylland Eriksen was a brilliant communicator who has inspired many.
– He took social anthropology out of academia and into people's lives. So he contributed to the whole of Norway understanding the society we are a part of better, he says.
Fearless and popular
Minister of Research and Higher Education Oddmund Hoel (Sp) says the death is sad news.
– Thomas Hylland Eriksen was a true intellectual, who has impressed, irritated and engaged. He has combined research at the absolute top level with communicating his subject to a wide audience.
Hoel says Hylland Eriksen was a clear public voice, who never shied away from a discussion and was never afraid to be countercultural.
– Nevertheless, he became a popular and well-known researcher. I think that for many Norwegians, Hylland Eriksen was the very archetype of a professor.
– On behalf of the government, I would like to thank Thomas Hylland Eriksen for a long and incredibly impressive career as a researcher, teacher and communicator. Today, our thoughts go to his closest family and friends, and to colleagues and students at the University of Oslo.
Comments
So.... he played a role in…
anon (not verified) Sun, 01/19/2025 - 10:09
So.... he played a role in an anarchist journal in the 80s, then never really published anything related to anarchy and ran for government positions in the 2010s.... audience's call on this one:
Good riddance 2 the sequel
Johannes (not verified) Sun, 01/19/2025 - 13:24
Another dead academic. Why should we care? To stay employed, to gain tenure, they sell their souls. I remember once telling my professor - a world renowned novelist and poet - that I wished to attend grad school and become a professor myself. He looked at me with horror and reminded me of the politics, the meetings, and that I was not one to put up with BS. I never got a Masters. Lol
Sounds like someone is…
anon (not verified) Sun, 01/19/2025 - 13:51
In reply to Good riddance 2 the sequel by Johannes (not verified)
Sounds like someone is seething with ressentiment at learned people more advanced and beloved. Much akin to christo-fascist morality oppositional to everything they are jealous of and will never be, your story makes we revered and beloved Masters and PhDs laugh!
Also fuck off with your…
anon (not verified) Sun, 01/19/2025 - 13:52
In reply to Good riddance 2 the sequel by Johannes (not verified)
Also fuck off with your shitting up an anarchist's memorial article. This is an anarchist website, "Johannes" scumfuck.
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