Research on Israel Ruong: a deep dive into Sámi history

Image Monica Börlin

Madelen Johansson was employed at Umeå University in 2022 and is now halfway through her research project, which was highlighted during this mid seminar. During the seminar, the readers David Sjögren from Uppsala University and Emma Vikström from Umeå University reviewed and asked questions about the research project and the text presented.

The collected material will become a biography

By using a personal biographical approach, Johansson's dissertation aims to provide a deep and thematically broad description and analysis of the researcher and the educationally and politically active Sámi, Israel Ruong, who lived between 1903 and 1986. The extensive collected material is intended to be compiled into a biography of Ruong.

Johansson is currently halfway through the research project and aims for it to contain seven chapters that chronologically take us through Israel Ruong's life, from his upbringing, studies, his political and educational work within the Sámi movement, his role as a mediator, up to his final years. One of the ideas behind the work is the fact that there is currently no comprehensive collection on Ruong, despite him being one of the major figures who made significant contributions both in the education system, and especially within the Sámi political movement.

The seminar was encouraging, and I received nice comments. The criticism was constructive in such a way that I think it is very helpful in my continued work on the dissertation

The mid seminar provided constructive criticism on the choice of terms and on various parts of the project text

The text was read by David Sjögren and Emma Vikström, who then constructively discussed the research project with Johansson. Some of the questions raised concerned descriptions of Ruong with terms such as "representative," "mediator," and "intelligentsia," where they discussed the meaning and connotations of the terms and how they can be used in the biography. Other questions about the various parts of the text mainly concerned its overall purpose, where certain empirical parts can be given less focus, while other parts can be highlighted and focused. Johansson expresses that she is satisfied with the discussions.

"The seminar was encouraging, and I received nice comments. The criticism was constructive in such a way that I think it is very helpful in my continued work on the dissertation," she says.

Towards the end of the seminar, it opened up for questions and comments from the audience. The tone was consistently constructive, and Johansson was considered to be well on her way in her research. Over the next two years, Johansson will continue writing on her dissertation, primarily continuing with the processing of material. Johansson hopes that the dissertation will contribute more knowledge about the history of northern Sweden and Sápmi.

"I hope that it can partly help highlight Israel Ruong and his activities, as it encompasses several quite decisive events in Sweden's and more specifically northern Sweden's/Sápmi's 20th century history, and partly provide increased knowledge about this geographical area's history and individuals, albeit from the perspective of an individual's life."

Madelen Johansson Doctoral student

Email

+46 90 786 80 43