About
Research interests:
- Cultural Sociology
- Sociological Theory
- Cultural Policy
- The Cultural Sector
- Culture Debates
- Public Libraries
Education:
- PhD in Sociology, University of Oslo (2011)
- Master Degree in Sociology, University of Oslo (2006)
- Bachelor Degree in Cultural- and Social Studies, University of Oslo (2003)
Employment:
- Professor, OsloMet (2019-)
- Professor and Associate Professor, Inland Norway University (2017-2019)
- Adjunct Professor, University of Stavanger (2017-2019)
- Researcher and Lecturer, OsloMet (2016-2017)
- PhD Research Fellow, Postdoctoral Fellow, Researcher, Lecturer, University of Oslo (2006-2016)
Mobility:
- Yale University (2014-2015, 2017, 2026)
- University of Copenhagen (2004, 2026)
- University of Calfornia - Berkeley (2010)
- Northwestern University (2009)
- Stockholms University (2007-2008)
Collaboration:
- Faculty Fellow, Center for Cultural Sociology, Yale University
- Editorial Board Member, Cultural Sociology, Nordic Journal of Cultural Policy, Public Library Quarterly
- Member of Scientific Committee, Nordic Conference on Cultural Policy Research (NCCPR)
Teaching:
- Culture- and Knowledge Policies (BA in Library- and Information Science)
- Sociology of Culture and Literature (MA in Archival-, Library- and Information Science)
- Archives, Libraries and Democracy (MA in Archival-, Library- and Information Science)
- Supervision of PhD-, MA-, and BA-students
Field of study
Sociology of culture Cultural policy Cultural Analysis Sociological theory Public libraries Policy of literature Public Sphere
Research groups
Research projects
Completed research projects
-
Political Dynamics of the Cultural Sector (POLYCUL)
This project depart from the hypothesis that explanations for developments in cultural policy, and in particular its failure to realize programmatic goals, are found in the dynamics of interest-based politics that at work in the cultural sector.
Publications and research
Scientific publications
Nissen, Anne-Sofie Elbrønd
;
Larsen, Håkon
(2026).
Performances of Neutrality: Audiences’ Perceptions of Public Library Legitimacy.
Library quarterly.
Vol. 96.
https://doi.org/10.1086/739800
Rasmussen, Casper Hvenegaard;
Larsen, Håkon
(2026).
Four Democratic Potentials in Public Libraries: A Model.
Library quarterly.
Vol. 96.
https://doi.org/10.1086/739799
Larsen, Håkon
(2026).
Er venstresiden woke? Respons på woke og anti-woke på norsk venstreside.
Norsk sosiologisk tidsskrift.
Vol. 10.
https://doi.org/10.18261/nost.10.3.3
Joumana, Boustany,; Laura, Saunders,; Karolina, Brylska,; Sudatta, Chowdhury,; Matilde, Fontanin,; Fabian, Franke,; Lopes, Fujita, Mariângela Spotti;
Larsen, Håkon
; Constance, Henninger, Maureen; Nicole, Johnston,; Tjaša, Jug,; Denis, Kos,; Krista, Lepik-Verliin,; Anna, Mierzecka,; Angela, Repanovici,; İpek, Şencan,; Dijana, Šobota,; Sonja, Špiranec,; Katarina, Švab,;
Tallerås, Kim
; Lúcia, Terra, Ana; Polona, Vilar,; Pavla, Vizvary,; Hilary, Yerbury,
(2026).
Academic Librarians’ Responses to Mis/Disinfomation: A Cross-Country Study.
Kurbanoğlu, Serap; Boustany, Joumana; Špiranec, Sonja; Ünal, Yurdagül; Şencan, İpek; Kos, Denis (Ed.).
Information Literacy in an AI-Driven World: ECIL 2025, Revised Selected Papers. p. 634-650.
Springer.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-17272-3_50
Colbjørnsen, Terje
;
Larsen, Håkon
;
Tallerås, Kim
(2025).
Høringsinstituttet og påvirkning gjennom den korporative kanalen: Innføring av boklov i 2013 og 2023.
Norsk statsvitenskapelig tidsskrift.
Vol. 41.
https://doi.org/10.18261/nst.41.4.2
Larsen, Håkon
;
Henningsen, Erik
(2025).
The perpetual crisis of cultural policy – or how better to understand cultural policy legitimacy.
Nordisk kulturpolitisk tidsskrift (NKT).
Vol. 28.
https://doi.org/https://www.scup.com/doi/10.18261/
Larsen, Håkon
(2025).
“The painting is colonial”: cancel culture and a heated media debate in Norway.
Cultural Trends.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09548963.2025.2452526
Yamagishi, Motoko; Koizumi, Masanori;
Larsen, Håkon
(2025).
Shaping public library legitimacy: case analysis of the New York Public Library.
Libri.
https://doi.org/10.1515/libri-2024-0192
Rasmussen, Casper Hvenegaard;
Larsen, Håkon
(2025).
Democracy as a contested concept in public library research: an overview.
Library quarterly.
https://doi.org/10.1086/735800
Yamagishi, Motoko; Koizumi, Masanori;
Larsen, Håkon
(2024).
Evolving legitimacy of the public library in the 21st century.
Journal of Documentation.
https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-02-2024-0028
