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| Vol. 18, No. 4 | Sept. 24, 1998 |
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| Vol. 18, No. 4 | Sept. 24, 1998 |
Tamara K. Hareven, Unidel Professor of Family Studies, received an honorary doctor of philosophy degree June 5 from Linköping University in Sweden.
In his nomination of Hareven for the honorary degree, the dean of the faculty of arts and sciences of Linköping University called her "one of the world leaders in the field of family history in recent decades as a researcher, as editor of scholarly journals and as a member of international networks."
He stated, "Her research deals with topics concerned with the social history of everyday life, historical sociology, urban history and the history of laborers....The appointment of Tamara Hareven as recipient of an honorary doctorate is not only a recognition of her impressive academic contributions, but also clearly points to the role she currently plays in meaningful exchanges between researchers at Linköping University and colleagues in the United States to the benefit of quality and international orientation."
On campus this fall, Hareven reflected on the ceremonial honor.
"I have been involved in promoting the historical and interdisciplinary study of the family for many years," she said. "When I was notified, I immediately realized it was a tremendous honor and one of the greatest honors of my academic career. I was overjoyed.
"But, as I said in my 'thank you' speech after the ceremony, the honor also goes to our colleagues in Sweden, who actively participated in these international collaborations."
Since 1971, Hareven had been collaborating with scholars in various Swedish universities in the development of the field of family history and historical demography. She also has worked with scholars in England, France, Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Norway and Japan.
A pioneer in the development of social history and history of the family, Hareven has organized international conferences and workshops, and she founded The Journal of Family History, serving as editor from 1976-1996.
In 1996, she launched a new journal, entitled The History of the Family: An International Quarterly, of which she is coeditor.
She has published numerous books and articles and edited volumes in the areas of historical study of the family, the life course and aging.
In addition to publishing her doctoral dissertation as a book, Eleanor Roosevelt: An American Conscience, Hareven has written two books on the effects of industrialization on individuals and families in the United States-Family Time and Industrial Time and Amoskeag: Life and Work in an American Factory City.
Following her arrival at the University in 1988, Hareven developed UD's multidisciplinary Group for Family Research.
In 1984, she went to China as a National Academy of Sciences Distinguished Visiting Professor on a lecture tour and to conduct comparative research on the family.
She has been a visiting professor at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris and Doshisha University in Kyoto and a senior Fulbright Fellow in India and Japan.
In 1992, she won the Radcliffe Graduate Society Medal and in 1994 she was elected a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America.
During the recent honor in Sweden, Hareven said she presented four days of lectures on various topics at Linköping University, culminating in the installation lecture for the honorary degree to the entire faculty prior to the awards ceremony.
Sweden's leading composer also was honored for his contribution to his field, and two Polish scholars were honored for developing institutional exchanges.
Each received laurels at the ceremony, plus a certificate, ceremonial hat and engraved gold ring.
-Ed Okonowicz
