Ida Blom (29 April 1931 – 24 July 2016) was a Norwegian historian and a pioneering scholar in the field of women’s history. She is recognized for establishing women’s history as an academic discipline in Norway and for her research on gender, labor, and social history.
Early life and education
Ida Blom was born in Oslo, Norway. She completed her secondary education in 1950 and later enrolled at the University of Oslo, where she earned the cand.philol. degree in history. She obtained her dr.philos. degree in 1975 with a dissertation on female laborers in Oslo during the 19th and early‑20th centuries.
Academic career
In 1978, Blom was appointed professor of history at the University of Oslo, becoming the first woman to hold a full professorship in history at a Norwegian university. She served in this position until her retirement in 1995. During her tenure, she helped develop curricula and research programs focused on women’s and gender history.
Research focus
Blom’s scholarship concentrated on the social and economic conditions of women in Norway, with particular attention to working‑class women, family structures, and the development of gender roles. Her works contributed to a broader understanding of how women’s experiences intersected with broader social transformations.
Selected publications
- Kvinnelige arbeideres historie i Oslo 1840‑1910 (1975) – her doctoral dissertation, a study of female industrial workers in Oslo.
- Kvinnens historie i Norge (1976) – a seminal overview of Norwegian women's history.
- Women and the Labour Market in Norway (1979) – co‑edited volume examining women’s participation in the workforce.
Professional affiliations and honours
- Member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
- Served on the board of the Norwegian Association for Women’s History.
- Recipient of the King's Medal of Merit in gold (2000), recognizing her contributions to Norwegian historiography.
Personal life and death
Blom was married to the historian and literary scholar Arne Blom. She died on 24 July 2016 in Oslo, after a period of illness.
Legacy
Ida Blom is credited with institutionalizing women’s history within Norwegian academia and inspiring subsequent generations of scholars in gender studies. Her methodological approaches and extensive archival work continue to influence research on the social history of women in Scandinavia.
