Reinert Skumsnes

Guest researcher - Centre for Gender Research

Email r.v.skumsnes@stk.uio.no

Phone +47-22858742

Mobile phone +47-95904022

Room NEMKO321

Username

Visiting address Nemkobygget Gaustadalleen 30 D 0373 OSLO

Postal address Postboks 1040 Blindern 0315 OSLO

Press photo Download business card

Research profile

Reinert Skumsnes is Postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Gender Research, University of Oslo. He is trained as a teacher and historian, but specialise in interdisciplinary research, between Egyptology, gender and cultural studies, with a particular interest in critical and new materialist (feminist/philosophical/anthropological/archaeological) theories. He has also worked as an archivist and field archaeologist for American and British missions in Egypt, Ancient Egypt Research Associates and the Amarna Project respectively, and has been chairman of the Norwegian Society of Egyptologists, co-chairman of the Nordic Association of Feminist and Gender Research and deputy chairman of the Norwegian Association for Gender Research.

Skumsnes' research has focused on social history, through the lens of family and gender, with New Kingdom Egypt (1500-1000 BCE) as a speciality. During more recent years, his attention has shifted more towards the concept of the body, exploring the interdisciplinary potential between Egyptology and other disciplines, between past empirical material and present theories of the body, and sex/gender. He is concerned with relational encounters, between spatially and temporally fractal positions, perspectives and records, which includes the significance of material, genre, purpose and context of specific records, the selection of records, as well as the questions and perspectives of the interpreter.

Media

Hverdagsliv i det gamle Egypt: Til sengs med de gamle egypterne [Everyday life in ancient Egypt: In bed with the ancient Egyptians]
Kvinnedagen er fortsatt viktig [The international women's day is still important]
Et glimrende utgangspunkt (Comment on the exhibition Emotions in Antiquity and Ancient Egypt)
Kva er kjønnsperspektiv i egyptologi? [What is a gender perspective in Egyptology?]
Kjønnsforskerne er kritiske til stortingsmeldingen [Gender researchers are critical to government report]
Forsker på kjønnsroller i det gamle Egypt [Studies gender (roles) in ancient Egypt]
Det gamle Egypt vaknar til liv [Ancient Egypt comes to life]
Myta om det gamle Egypt [The myth about ancient Egypt]

Teaching experience

KFL1010 – Innføring i tverrfaglige kjønnsstudier [Introduction to gender studies]
KFL1020 – Kjønn og vitenskap: Teorier om kjønn [Gender and science: Theories about gender]

Background

Postdoctoral fellow, University of Oslo, 2020-2023
Senior Executive Officer, University of Oslo, 2018-2020
PhD in Gender/Cultural Studies/Egyptology, University of Oslo, 2014-2018
Post-graduate qualifications in Egyptology, The American University in Cairo, 2009, 2011
Master of Arts in History/Egyptology, University of Bergen, 2007-2009
Bachelor of Arts in History and Culture, University of Bergen, 2005-2007
Advanced degree in Teaching, Stord/Haugesund University College, 2002-2005

Committees and Memberships

Centre for Gender Research, University of Oslo (deputy 2022-2023, board member 2014-2016)
Nordic Association of Feminist and Gender Research (co-chair 2019-2021)
Forening for kjønnsforskning i Norge [Norwegian Association of Gender Research] (deputy chair 2019-2021, board member 2015-2018)
Norsk Egyptologisk Selskap [Norwegian Society of Egyptologists] (chair 2010-2019)
Kilden kjønnsforskning.no (interim board member 2017-2018)
American Research Center in Egypt (2016-)
Egypt Exploration Society (2009-)
International Association of Egyptologists (2007-)

Tags: Body, Sex, Gender, Family, Egyptology, History, Feminist theory, Anthropological theory

See Norwegian website

Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2022). Family Contracts in New Kingdom Egypt. In Mariam F., Ayad (Eds.), Women in Ancient Egypt: Revisiting Power, Agency, and Autonomy. The American University in Cairo Press. ISSN 978-1649031808. p. 227–242.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2022). Familie og kjønn i det gamle Egypt, under Det nye riket. Arr - Idéhistorisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0802-7005. 2, p. 79–99. Full text in Research Archive
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2020). Patterns of change and disclosures of difference: the feminine element as medium of transformation in New Kingdom tomb representations. In Mæhle, Ingvar B.; Ravnå, Per Bjarne & Seland, Eivind Heldaas (Ed.), Methods and models in ancient history. Essays in honor of Jørgen Christian Meyer. Norwegian Institute at Athens. ISSN 9786188490307. p. 111–127. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This article addresses the change in reference to ‘his wife’ from Hmt.f to snt.f and argues that this change was a consequence of larger ideological developments within the solar-Osirian cycle of life. The article also examines how it is possible to get a more nuanced picture of egyptian thinking with regard to women and transformation by analysing the representation of women in tomb paintings with a view both to the representation of the relationship between men and women in the paintings and to the relationship between the representations and their surroundings. By way of detailed analysis of four scenes — two from the tomb of Rekhmire (TT100) and two from the tomb of Ramose (TT55) — the article questions the argument that creation and rebirth was a male prerogative in ancient egypt, and instead points out that the potential life-giving force was not thought possible or sustainable without the manifestation and indeed participation of both the masculine and feminine elements. Furthermore, there was no single, all-inclusive strategy for reaching the afterlife: in addition to offerings of food and drink, the traditional husband-wife dualism and interaction with the gods, strong symbolism is also found in father-son, father-daughter, mother-son and mother-daughter relationships.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2019). Kvindesymbolik i thebanske privatgrave. Papyrus Tidsskrift for Dansk Ægyptologisk Selskab. ISSN 0903-4714. 39(1), p. 24–31.
Skumsnes, Reinert & Bettum, Anders (2015). Solas rike - ikkje berre palass og tempel. Nicolay: Arkeologisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0332-8937. 127, p. 17–39. Full text in Research Archive
Skumsnes, Reinert (2015). Frå sorg til fest : musikk og ritual i det gamle Egypt. Arr - Idéhistorisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0802-7005. 27(1), p. 51–61. Full text in Research Archive
Skumsnes, Reinert (2014). Familien i det gamle Egypt. Arr - Idéhistorisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0802-7005. p. 3–11. Full text in Research Archive
Skumsnes, Reinert (2013). Kongelige kvinner og kongemakt under Det gamle riket. Ostrakon. ISSN 1893-5303. 5-6, p. 13–28.
Skumsnes, Reinert (2011). Adopsjon, arv og testamente i Deir el-Medina. Ostrakon. ISSN 1893-5303. 3, p. 25–31.
Skumsnes, Reinert (2010). Kjønnsroller i det gamle Egypt. Fortid. ISSN 1504-1913. 1, p. 75–79.

View all works in Cristin

Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2023). Et feministisk blikk på kvinner, kjønn og arbeid i det gamle Egypt .
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2023). Egyptology in Dialogue. [Business/trade/industry journal]. Newsletter of the Department of Art History at Emory Uni.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2023). Alternative body worlds in ancient Egyptian healing texts.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2023). Alternative body worlds.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2022). Et feministisk blikk på kvinner, kjønn og arbeid i det gamle Egypt.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord & Nyord, Rune (2022). Introduction.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2022). Egyptology and Feminist theory: Body/sex/gender in New Kingdom Egypt, and their formative environments.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2022). The gender of labour in the New Kingdom textile industry.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2022). Alternative body worlds in ancient Egyptian healing texts.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2022). Historical bodies and onto-epistemological boundaries in motion.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2022). A Case study of the Turin Satiric-Erotic Papyrus: Historical Bodies, Mundane Resistance and Alternative Worlds.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord & Bettum, Anders (2021). Hverdagsliv i det gamle Egypt: Episode 3 - Til sengs med de gamle egypterne. [Radio]. Studio 2, NRK P2.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2021). Egyptology and Feminist theory: Body/sex/gender in New Kingdom Egypt, and their formative environments.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2021). Et feministisk blikk på kvinner, kjønn og arbeid i det gamle Egypt.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2021). Hvorfor studere historie og kjønn?
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2021). Patterns of change and disclosures of difference. Family and gender in New Kingdom Egypt: titles of non-royal women.
Dietrichson, Susanne & Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2021). – Kvinnedagen er fortsatt viktig. [Internet]. Kilden kjonnsforskning.no.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2021). Historical bodies in alternative worlds.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2021). Hva er kjønnsforskning?
Klitgård, Mathias; Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord; Stubberud, Elisabeth; Averin, Ro; Skjelsbæk, Inger & Losleben, Katrin [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2021). Hvordan fremme et nasjonalt fagfelt? I. Show summary
I liket med andre fagfelt opplever også kjønnsforskningen økende utfordringer: Internasjonalisering, økende konkurranse, kriteriestyrt måling av kvalitet, fragmentering av fagfelt, finansiering, manglende dugnadsånd. Forening for kjønnsforskning (FOK) har invitert representanter fra de sentrale institusjoner i det norske kjønnsforskningsfeltet, tilgrensende fagfelt nasjonalt, og i naboland og spør: Hvilke utfordringer har vi? Hvordan håndteres disse i dag? Hvilke grep kan/bør kjønnsforskningen ta i møte med disse i fremtiden? Innledere og ordstyrere: Reinert Skumsnes (UiO) Forening for kjønnsforskning i Norge og Mathias Klitgård (UiS) Forening for kjønnsforskning i Norge Paneldeltakere: Siri Øyslebø Sørensen (NTNU) KjønnsforskningNå!, Ingvil Hellstrand (UiS) Tidsskrift for kjønnsforskning, Katrin Losleben (UiT) Den nasjonale forskerskolen, Sofia Strid (UniÖrebro) Nordic Association of Feminist and Gender Research, Inger Skjelsbæk (UiO) PRIO Gender, Peace and Security Center, Ro Averin, Black Feminist Fridays: Nordic and Beyond, UNLRN PRJCT, Elisabeth Stubberud (NTNU) Garmeres, avd. Norge
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2020). Exceptions to the rule? The women of Medinet Habu.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2020). Et glimrende utgangspunkt. Dagsavisen. ISSN 1503-2892.
Holter, Øystein Gullvåg & Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2020). Holter, Øystein Gullvåg 2020: Generasjonsskiftet i kjønnsforskningen fortsetter med Øystein Gullvåg Holter som nyslått emeritus (intervju ved Reinert Skumsnes). STK/UiO 25.3.20. Jfr https://www.stk.uio.no/forskning/aktuelt/aktuelle-saker/2020/oystein-gullvag-holter-er-blitt-professor-emeritus.html .
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2019). The change in reference to ’his wife’ from Hmt.f to snt.f, and the feminine element in New Kingdom tombs .
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2019). Patterns of change and disclosures of difference: non-royal women in New Kingdom Egypt.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord & Dietrichson, Susanne (2018). Forsker på kjønnsroller i det gamle Egypt. [Internet]. Kilden kjonnsforskning.no.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord & Dietrichson, Susanne (2017). Humaniora evaluert: Høyt nivå, men bør bli mer samfunnsnyttig. [Internet]. Kilden kjonnsforskning.no.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord & Korsvik, Trine Rogg (2017). Forskeren svarer: Kva er kjønnsperspektiv i egyptologi? . [Internet]. Kilden kjonnsforskning.no.
Skumsnes, Reinert (2014). Myta om det gamle Egypt. Aftenposten Viten. ISSN 2464-3033.
Skumsnes, Reinert (2014). Det gamle Egypt vaknar til liv. Aftenposten Viten. ISSN 2464-3033.
Skumsnes, Reinert (2010). Kleopatra - dronning over alle kongar. Levende Historie. ISSN 1503-4208. 3, p. 20–29.
Skumsnes, Reinert Vikjord (2018). Patterns of change and disclosures of difference. Family and gender in New Kingdom Egypt: titles of non-royal women. 07 Gruppen. Show summary
The overall aim of this thesis is to explore the monumental remains and the non-literary ostraca and papyri as different layers of situated material-discursive practices. I approach the records seeking both patterns of change and disclosures of difference, while trying to make sense of what often comes down to us as contradictory information about family and gender in New Kingdom Egypt. Women become more visible in the records, in particular from the 18th to the 19th Dynasty, and I interpret this as a sign of increased recognition of women within the Egyptian society. I argue that the change in reference to ‘his wife’ from hmt.f to snt.f in the monumental remains imply that the wife became increasingly recognised as ‘his sister’, alter ego and co-occupant of his tomb. Also, the increasing popularity of titles such as ‘woman of the city’ and ‘musician of Amen’ imply a change in focus from the domestic sphere to city and temple. I also argue that any general claim about the relative position of men and women within society will fail to describe what was reality. Definitions of gender must be understood as disclosures, which are dependent on a number of factors, such as the genre, context and purpose of the specific record. In general, the monumental remains give a hyper-gendered account, while the non-literary ostraca and papyri are more ephemeral and less gender focused. Class and status stand out as equal, if not more important than, gender. This thesis demonstrates that family was not only about biology, or being next of kin, but was more importantly about who actually acted as family. I claim that reciprocity and mutual dependency, through the correlation of support, burial and inheritance, was the very glue that tied families together. I call this family contracts, and through these contracts individuals negotiated their position in society through their relations/encounters with others, both living and dead.
Skumsnes, Reinert (2009). Kvinner i det gamle Egypt: Ein komparativ studie. Universitetet i Bergen.

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Published Feb. 10, 2014 12:32 PM - Last modified Oct. 20, 2023 10:16 AM

Projects

EgFem – Egyptology, feminist theory and alternative worlds: Body/sex/gender in New Kingdom Egypt, and their affective environments