Arkivarien som väktare eller facilitator: En samtidshistorisk undersökning av svenska arkivariers professionella identitet

Sammanfattning: This thesis examines contemporary professionalism among Swedish archivists and how they create a professional identity and defend their status in a context defined by societal change and a new techonological, political and organizational setting. The results are interpreted using two ideal-types drawn from sociological theory on professional change due to the emergence and incorporation of New Public Management in the public sector. The results show that Swedish archivists tend to defend a traditional role as objective and neutral keepers of truth, but also strive to redefine their professional role within organization as experts of information, leaders and managers. Furthermore, the professional status is strenghtened by defending the archive’s role in society as a memory institution for cultural identity and historical truth as well as an important asset for private enterprise and public sector.