Arne Aleksej Perminow

Associate Professor - Section for Ethnography
Image of Arne Aleksej Perminow
Norwegian version of this page
Email a.a.perminow@khm.uio.no
Phone +47 22859627
Username
Visiting address Frederiks gate 2 0164 Oslo
Postal address Postboks 6762 St. Olavs plass 0130 Oslo
Other affiliations Institutt for pedagogikk (Student)

Research interests

  • Regionally my research interest is the cultures and societies in Oceania with a particular focus on the Polynesian kingdom of Tonga. I am keeper of our museum'scollection of ethnografic artefact from Oceania, i.e objects originating in the South Pacific; Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Australia.
  • The relationship between the natural environment, everyday experienc, rituals and social values has been a central research topic since my first fieldwork in 1986 on Kotu Island in the Ha'apai island group in Tonga. In later research projects I have explored  the relationship  between materiality and society by working amongs Tongan woodcarvers and focussing on skills, competence and knowledge underlying the production of culturally valued artefacts.
  • Most recently my research interest has turned towards the exploration of mobility, sociocultural stability and change by focussing on what happens with competence and cultural valuation when people as well as things move to new natural and sociocultural surroundings because of migration.
  • During my fieldworks I have on several occasions purchased artefacts for our ethnographic collection. In documenting how they are produced and how they are used I use film and photography extensively.

Teaching

Making exhibitions-museological theory and practice /Utstillingsproduksjon - museologisk teori og praksis

Background

 Academic education:

  • 1997: PhD, Social Anthropology,  Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of Oslo.
  • 1990: MA, Social Anthropology, Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of Oslo.
  • 1983: BA with the three disciplines Russian Language,History and Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo.

Research and fieldwork background:

  • 2010-2011: Fieldwork in Auckland in New Zealand, Nuku'alofa and Kotu in Tonga to study Rituals on the move:  ritual presentation and cultural evaluation of ‘tongan wealth’ ,  tongan food’ and ‘tongan kava’, among Tongan overseas migrants,  as part of the project Making sense through the senses – exploring the aesthetics of ritual
  • 2003-04: Fieldwork in Nuku'alofa and on Kotu in Tonga as a part of the multidisciplinary research project  Identity Matters, Movement and Place in Oceania funded by the Norwegian Research Council.
  • 1991-92: Fieldwork on Kotu Island in the Ha'apai island group of Tonga as a basis for the doctoral thesis Moving Things of Love. An Ethnography of Consitutive Motions on Kotu Island in  Tonga.
  • 1986-87: Fieldwork on Kotu Island in the Ha'apai island group of Tonga as a basis for the MA thesis and book The Long Way Home. Dilemmas of Learning and Deciding on Kotu Island in the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga

Career background:

  • 2001-:  Associate Professor Department of  Ethnography where I am keeper of the part of the ethnographic collection originating in Oceania. From 2001-2004 I was particularly involved in facilitating the development of a new ethnographic collection database based on a full digitalization of our collection. In  2005-2007 I curated the multidisciplinary exhibition Starpaths Across the Pacific. Narratives of Origin in Oceania. based on the research of the research project  Identity Matters. Movement and Place in Oceania funded by the Norwegian Research Council.  From  2007-2010 I was Head of the Department of Ethnography of our museum.
  • 2000-01: Associate Professor at Department of Anthropology, Bergen museum, University of Bergen and keepr of the Oceania collection.
  • 1998-00:  Associate Professor Deparment of Social Anthropology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim.
  • 1997-98: Associate Professor Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of Oslo.
  • 1991-96: Norwegian Research Council scholarship at  Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of Oslo.
  • 1990-91: Senior Lecturer Department of Social Anthropology, Dragvoll,  University of Trondheim.

Appointments

  • 2007-2010: Head of Department of Ethnography, Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo.
  • 2003-2006: Representative of research staff on the Board of the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo.

Regional specialization

Oceania with a particular focus on Polynesia and Tonga.

Tags: Social anthropology, Ethnography, Museology, Oceania, Polynesia, Tonga, Nature and Society, Material culture, Rituals and Cosmology, Mobility and Migration

Publications

  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2020). An Island Renowned for Its Worship’. Environmental Change, Morality, and Forgetfulness in the Transforming Landscapes of Tonga. In Fuglerud, Øivind; Prusac-Lindhagen, Marina & Larsen, Kjersti (Ed.), Negotiating Memory from the Romans to the Twenty-First Century. Damanatio Memoriae. Routledge. ISSN 9780367549565. doi: 10.4324/9781003091332.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2019). Yngvar Nielsens køller: Kopier av ekstraordinær betydning. In Ruud, Lise Camilla & Ween, Gro Birgit (Ed.), En Trængslernes Historie. En antologi om museumsmannen og historikeren Yngvar Nielsen.. Orkana Forlag. ISSN 978-82-8104399-2. p. 207–250. doi: 10.18261/issn.1504-2898-2016-03-04-02.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2018). Mooving Moorings, Nurturing Flows: Scales of Tongan Mobilities. In Simonsen, Jan Ketil; Larsen, Kjersti & Engebrigtsen, Ada I. (Ed.), Movement and Connectivity: Configurations of Belonging. Peter Lang Publishing Group. ISSN 978-1-78707-550-4. p. 131–159.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2016). Kopier av internasjonal betydning. Nasjonal trolldomskunst ved Universitetets Etnografiske Museum ved inngangen til det 20. århundre. Norsk Antropologisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0802-7285. 27(3-4), p. 179–190. doi: 10.18261/issn.1504-2898-2016-03-04-02.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2015). Food Presentations Moving Overseas: Ritual Aesthetics and Everyday Sociality in Tonga and among Tongan Migrants. In Fuglerud, Øivind & Wainwright, Leon (Ed.), OBJECTS AND IMAGINATION Perspectives on Materialization and Meaning . Berghahn Books. ISSN 978-1-78238-568-4. p. 111–132.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2014). Frihet og tabu. Beretninger om beskyttelse fra Polynesia. In Gullbekk, Svein Harald (Eds.), Ja, vi elsker frihet. Dreyer Forlag A/S. ISSN 978-82-8265-093-9. p. 282–290.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2011). 'It is a tree that fights'. Engaging notions of qualitative difference in Tonga. Kon-Tiki Museum. Occasional Papers. ISSN 0802-6491. 12.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2005). Bestandig jordovn i Tonga.Sosialitet bakt i en ’umu. In Gustafson, Lillian; Heibreen, Tom & Martens, Jes (Ed.), De gåtefulle kokegroper. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo. ISSN 82-8084-022-2. p. 23–37.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2003). 'The Other Kind': Representing Otherness and Living with it on Kotu Island in Tonga. In Roalkvam, Sidsel & Hoem, Ingjerd (Ed.), Oceanic Socialities and Cultural Forms. Ethnographies of Experience. Berghahn Books. ISSN 1-57181-558-9. p. 157–177.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2002). Mythical Motivation in the light of the moon of Tonga: An exploration of spaces of Polynesian tales of attraction, UKM - En mangfoldig forskningsinstitusjon Universitetets kulturhistoriske museer. Skrifter 1. Universitetets kulturhistoriske museer. ISSN 82-8084-005-2. p. 229–241.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2002). Mythical Motivation in the light of the moon of Tonga: An exploration of spaces of Polynesian tales of attraction. UKM - En mangfoldig forskningsinstitusjon. p. 229–241.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2001). Captain Cook and the roots of precedence in Tonga. "Leading and "following" as naturalised Concepts. History and Anthropology. ISSN 0275-7206. 12(3), p. 289–314.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2001). Bokanmeldelse av Knut Mikjel Rios: Oceania gjenoppdaget i Bergen. Reiser i Bergen Museums samlinger fra Stillehavet. Bergen Museums skrifter, Kultur 3. Bergen: Bergen Museum, University of Bergen, 1999. 136 s, ISBN 82-7887-055-5. Norsk Antropologisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0802-7285.

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  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2022). Engaging Environments in Tonga. Cultivating Beauty and Nurturing relations in a changing world. Berghahn Books. ISBN 978-1-80073-454-8. 229 p.
  • Douglas, Bronwen; Douglas, Bronwen; Wonu Veys, Fanny; Lythberg, Billie & Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2018). Collecting in the South Sea. The Voyage of Bruni d'Entrecasteaux 1791-1794. Sidestone Press. ISBN 978-90-8890-575-9. 381 p.
  • Bergstøl, Jostein; Eek, Ann Christine & Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2004). Kulturhistorier i sentrum. Historisk Museum 100 år. Universitetet i Oslo. ISBN 82-8084-019-2. 191 p.

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  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2018). 7. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo. In Douglas, Bronwen; Wonu Veys, Fanny; Lythberg, Billie & Perminow, Arne Aleksej (Ed.), Collecting in the South Sea. The Voyage of Bruni d'Entrecasteaux 1791-1794. Sidestone Press. ISSN 978-90-8890-575-9. p. 121–131.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2017). Kollaps. Mennesket i en uforutsigbar verden/ Collapse. Human being in an unpredictable world.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2017). ‘An island renowned for its worship’. Environmental change, forgetfulness and morality in the transforming landscapes of Tonga. .
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2017). Nakkestøtten og den skjulte båten. En metodologisk materialistisk tilnærming til forestillinger om egnethet på Tonga .
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2006). På stjernestier over Stillehavet. Fortellinger om opprinnelse i Oseania.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2006). På stjernestier over Stillehavet. Fortellinger om opprinnelse i Oseania.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2006). Mat og samfunn i Stillehavet. [TV]. Schrødingers katt, populærvitenskaplig program.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2006). På stjernestier over Stillehavet. Fortellinger om opprinnelse i Oseania. [Radio]. Nrk P 2, Verdt å vite, populærvitenskaplig forskningsprogram.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2006). Matritualer i "Hutaheiti". Dødsstraff og tabuer. [Newspaper]. Apollon, forskningsmagasin fra Universitetet i Oslo.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2006). På stjernestier over Stillehavet. Fortellinger om opprinnelse i Oseania. [Radio]. Nrk P 2, Kulturbeitet.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2006). 'The Fact of the Matter. Engaging Notions of Materiality and Aesthetics in Tonga.'.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2005). Sterke saker! Kavaritualet som inntak til sosiale verdier på Tonga.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2005). Si meg hva du drikker...Kava og andre sterke saker i Stillehavet.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2005). The Fact of The Matter. Engaging Notions of Materiality and Aesthetics in Tonga.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2005). Kai, Kava ,and Koloa. On the Discovery of Substantial Qualities of Sociality in Tonga.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2005). Koe 'ofa! (It is love!) Om utveksling av barn og sosialitetens substansielle forankring i Tonga.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2005). Koe ’ofa (It is love). Attachment, Exchange and the Substantial Moorings of Tongan Sociality.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2004). Ikke sant! Historisk museum 100 år. [Radio]. Museumsnytt. Et program om norsk historie. NRK P2.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2004). People and Things: Learning, Communicating, and Thinking Through Things.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2004). "Fra bunnen av en kavabolle: Harde fakta om kvalitative forskjeller på Tonga�.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2002). Barn som 'gaver' i Polynesia. Tonganske familierelasjoner.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2002). Barn som 'gaver'. Adopsjon på Tonga i Polynesia. [Radio]. NRK P2, Kulturkanalen: Værdt å vite : Ellen Semb: Universitetets kulturhistoriske museer.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2002). Artifacts of Culture: The representational artifacts of Oceania and processes of cultural identification.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2002). Ceremonial food presentation: Tongan sociality baked in an 'earth-oven'.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2002). Den Tonganske 'kokegropa' og konstituering av sosiale relasjoner.
  • Perminow, Arne Aleksej (2001). Lebensraum: Når organismens livsverden blir 'folkets' alburom. En begrepsgenealogisk tilnærming til rom og tilhørighet.

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Published Sep. 11, 2012 2:23 PM - Last modified Feb. 10, 2021 10:58 AM

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