A 1988 dissertation on author Moa Martinson established Ebba Witt-Brattström as a significant figure in Swedish literary scholarship. Born in Stockholm in 1953, she pursued her education at Franska Skolan and Stockholm University. Her career encompasses extensive research into Nordic literature, feminist history, and the broader sociopolitical dynamics affecting women in the humanities throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Academic Contributions and Research
Witt-Brattström focuses on comparative literature with specific attention to historical and contemporary Swedish female writers. Her scholarly output includes rigorous studies on St. Bridget of Sweden, Victoria Benedictsson, and Edith Södergran. In 2010, she expanded her academic reach by publishing a comprehensive history of the feminist movement in Sweden titled Å alla kära systrar. Her translation work includes bringing Gerd Brantenberg’s novel Egalia's Daughters to a Swedish audience.
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Her academic career spans several prestigious institutions. She served as a professor and department head at Södertörn University. Internationally, she held the Dag Hammarskjöld Visiting Professor position at the Humboldt University of Berlin starting in 2008, focusing on Northern European studies. In 2012, she accepted a professorship in Nordic Literature at Helsinki University, further solidifying her influence in the field of regional literary studies.
Feminist Advocacy and Political Engagement
Active in Swedish feminist circles since the 1970s, Witt-Brattström was a member of the organization Grupp 8. In 2005, she participated in the founding of the feminist political party Feministiskt Initiativ. She eventually distanced herself from the party, citing concerns regarding its internal political shifts and an emphasis on specific left-wing ideologies, which she critiqued publicly.
Background and Early Life
Born to refugee parents who arrived in Sweden during the Second World War, Witt-Brattström was raised primarily by her mother. Her father, a German anti-Nazi, came from an affluent background, while her mother originated from a poor Estonian peasant family. These disparate familial origins shaped her perspective during her formative years in Stockholm.
Fast facts
- Born: 1953, Stockholm
- Education: Stockholm University, Franska Skolan
- Moa award: 1991
- Lotten von Kræmer Award: 2004
- Mårbacka Award: 2016
- Primary focus: Literary studies, feminism
- Notable publication: Å alla kära systrar (2010)
Questions readers ask
What is Ebba Witt-Brattström's academic specialization?
She is a scholar of comparative and Nordic literature, specializing in the study of female authors and the history of feminism.
Has she held professorships outside of Sweden?
Yes, she served as the Dag Hammarskjöld Visiting Professor at the Humboldt University of Berlin and became a professor of Nordic Literature at Helsinki University.
Achievements
- Held posts at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Södertörn University
- Fields: literary studies and feminism
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