En karlakarl till kvinna på Thorönsborg : En studie av ekonomisk modernisering och genus under Ebba Mörners tid som godsägarinna på Thorönsborg, 1909–1943

Sammanfattning: The essay examines whether Ebba Mörner's ownership of the estate Thorönsborg reflected an effort to modernize the forms of operation and organization, or whether her management was an expression of social downgrade of Swedish nobility. The topic of this essay is modernization and gender in context of an early, 20th century manorial economy. The investigation highlights the role and entrepreneurship of Ebba Mörner in contrast to the female expecations of her time.  The essay also aims to investigate whether Ebba Mörner was representative of the expectations of the time, or whether she broke the norms for women's and men's work - especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. Using mainly a micro-historical perspective the study draws on the unpublished estate records of Thorönsborg. Theoretically, the essay is based on Yvonne Hirdman's gender theory; focusing on the concepts of gender systems and gender contracts. The essay’s purpose is mainly to contribute to the relatively sparse research on womens’ property ownership and entrepreneurship during the early Swedish 20th century.  Ebba Mörner sometimes norm-breaking character, her diligence and financial mind shines through in the investigation. From the moment when she made Thorönsborg her home until her passing, Mörner successfully devotes herself to progressively investing and managing the estate. Yet Mörner also devotes herself to maintaining the gender contract of the time. Mörner was both behind and ahead of her time. Both living a part of her life during the noble glory days of the 19th century with conservative ideals, and also living in a century of budding democracy and women's liberation.