livshistorie

Livshistorie, often translated as life history, is a term used in Danish and Norwegian contexts to describe the narrative account of a person’s life, as well as the research approach that studies such accounts. It encompasses personal stories, memories, and experiences as they are remembered and interpreted, situated within broader social and historical contexts. In scholarly use, livshistorie refers to both autobiographical writing and to life history research, a qualitative method that seeks to understand how individuals make sense of their lives over time.

The life history method typically involves collecting detailed, often semi-structured interviews that explore key events, turning points, relationships, work, education, mobility, and identity. Researchers may also use diaries, letters, photographs, and other personal documents to supplement memory and provide temporal anchors. The aim is to illuminate how personal biographies intersect with larger social processes such as class, gender, ethnicity, migration, and policy change.

Applications of livshistorie span social history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and memory studies. It is used to examine life trajectories, intergenerational patterns, and experiences of marginalization or resilience. In museums, education, and public history, life stories are employed to humanize historical periods and illustrate everyday life.

Ethical considerations are central: informed consent, confidentiality, and sensitively presenting individual narratives, especially when dealing with trauma or vulnerable populations. Limitations include recollection biases and the interpretive nature of constructed life stories, which require careful reflexivity and transparent methodology.