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Johan Kärnfelt

Assistant Head of Department

Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion
Visiting address
Renströmsgatan 6
41255 Göteborg
Postal address
Box 200
40530 Göteborg

About Johan Kärnfelt

Johan Kärnfelt (b. 1963) is Associate Professor (docent) in History of Ideas and Science and presently working at the Department of Literature, History of Ideas and Religion.

Kärnfelt’s main research interest is the Swedish history of science, in particular it's history of astronomy. His focus has been mainly on the 19th and 20th centuries, and amongst other things he has studies popular science, amatur astronomy, and time standardization. During recent years he has worked on the materialities of science, especially scientific instruments.

Current research activities

Kärnfelt is presently, and together with Gustav Holmberg, working in a research project on the history of Stockholm observatory.

Teaching and administration

As lecturer in History of Ideas Kärnfelt, is specialized towards the history of science, and has taught on all academic levels.

Presently he has department assignments as Deputy head of research, as Coordinator of PhD studies.

Outreach

Since 2010 Kärnfelt is one of several authors producing the web edition of the Swedish Astronomical Society’s journal Populär astronomi (www.popast.nu). He has also been active for many years as a lecturer in astronomy related settings.