Ã…se Gruda Skard
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ã…se Gruda Skard (née Koht) (2 December 1905 – 13 August 1985) was a Norwegian university professor, child psychologist and author. She was a noted pioneer in the field of childhood development and psychology.


Biography

She was born at Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. She was the daughter of
Halvdan Koht Halvdan Koht (7 July 1873 â€“ 12 December 1965) was a Norwegian historian and politician representing the Labour Party. Born in the north of Norway to a fairly distinguished family, he soon became interested in politics and history. Sta ...
(1873–1965) and Karen Elisabeth Grude (1871–1960). Her father was a noted historian and professor and the
University of Oslo The University of Oslo (; ) is a public university, public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation#Europe, oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick Univ ...
. Her mother was an educator, author and feminist pioneer. Her brother Paul Koht (1913–2002) was a diplomat and ambassador. In 1931, she obtained a
Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
in
Psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
from the University of Oslo. After a year of study in the United States, she got a job as a scientific assistant in the Department of Psychology at the
University of Oslo The University of Oslo (; ) is a public university, public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation#Europe, oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick Univ ...
in 1933. During the
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung. Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on 10 June 1940, and Nazi Germany controlled Norway until th ...
(1940-1945), she re-located to the United States. During this period, she lectured at Wilson College in
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania Chambersburg is a borough in and the county seat of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Franklin County, in the South Central Pennsylvania, South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Gre ...
. After the liberation of Norway, she lectured in psychology with emphasis on child psychology at the
University of Oslo The University of Oslo (; ) is a public university, public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation#Europe, oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick Univ ...
from 1947 to 1973. In 1934, she established the Norwegian Psychology Association (''Norsk psykologforening'') and served as chairman 1945–1949. She edited the journal '' Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift'' from 1936 to 1970. She wrote 24 books and almost 2,000 journal articles.


Personal life

She was married to
Sigmund Skard Sigmund Skard (31 July 1903 – 26 May 1995) was a Norwegian poet, essayist and professor of American literature. Biography Skard was born in Kristiansand, Norway. He was a son of educators Matias Skard (1846–1927) and Gyda Christensen (1868†...
(1903–95). Her husband was a professor of literature at the University of Oslo. She was the mother five children including twin daughters, Målfrid Grude Flekkøy (1936–2013) and
Torild Skard Torild Skard (born 29 November 1936) is a Norwegian psychologist, politician for the Socialist Left Party, a former deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a former chairman of UNICEF. She served as a Member of Parlia ...
(born 1936), both of whom were trained psychologists who were associated with
UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...
. Her son Halvdan Skard (born 1939) served as chairman of the
Arts Council Norway The Arts Council Norway (, often shortened to ''Kulturrådet'') is the official arts council for Norway. Based in Oslo, it is a Norwegian state institution created in as a result of a parliamentary decision in 1964. Arts Council Norway's admini ...
. In 1980, she was appointed a Knight first class in the
Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...
and received an honorary Doctorate Degree from the
University of Bergen The University of Bergen () is a public university, public research university in Bergen, Norway. As of 2021, the university had over 4,000 employees and 19,000 students. It was established by an act of parliament in 1946 consolidating several sci ...
. She died during 1985 and was buried beside her husband at Haslum kirkegård in
Bærum Bærum () is a list of municipalities of Norway, municipality in the Greater Oslo Region in Akershus County, Norway. It forms an affluent suburb of Oslo on the west coast of the city. Bærum is Norway's fifth largest municipality with a populatio ...
.


Selected works

*''Pedagogisk psykologi'' (1937, jointly with Karen Grude Koht) *''Barn i vardagslivet'' (1940) *''Ungene våre'' (1948) *''Vanlige vansker med vanlige barn'' (1965) *''Praktisk barnepsykologi'' (1972) *''Liv laga. Ei minnebok 1905–1940'' (1985)


References


External links


Family genealogyÃ…se Gruda Skard-prisen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skard, Ase Gruda 1905 births 1985 deaths Psychologists from Oslo University of Oslo alumni Academic staff of the University of Oslo Norwegian women psychologists Norwegian women academics Child psychologists Norwegian expatriates in the United States Norwegian Association for Women's Rights people 20th-century psychologists