Unni Wikan facts for kids

Unni Wikan, born on November 18, 1944, is a well-known Norwegian professor. She studies people and their cultures, a field called social anthropology. This means she learns about how different groups of people live, think, and interact.

Professor Wikan has taught at many famous universities around the world. These include the University of Oslo in Norway, where she is a professor. She has also been a visiting professor at places like Harvard University and the University of Chicago in the United States. She has also taught in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

Exploring Cultures: Unni Wikan's Books

Unni Wikan has written many books about her studies of different cultures. Her books help us understand how people live in various parts of the world. She often writes about daily life, traditions, and how people manage their feelings and relationships.

Life in Cairo and Oman

• Life Among the Poor in Cairo (1980): This book shares stories about the lives of people living in poorer areas of Cairo, Egypt. It helps readers understand their daily challenges and hopes.
• Behind the Veil in Arabia: Women in Oman (1982): In this book, Professor Wikan explores the lives of women in Oman. She looks at their traditions and how they live within their society.
• Tomorrow, God Willing: Self-Made Destinies in Cairo (1996): This book continues her work on Cairo. It focuses on how people in the city try to shape their own futures.

Understanding Different Ways of Life

• Managing Turbulent Hearts: A Balinese Formula for Living (1990): This book takes readers to Bali. It explains how people there handle their emotions and live together peacefully.
• Generous Betrayal: Politics of Culture in the New Europe (2002): Here, Professor Wikan discusses how different cultures mix and interact in Europe. She looks at the challenges and changes this brings.

Books on Honor and Integration

• Mot en ny norsk underklasse: Innvandrere, kultur og integrasjon (1995): This book, written in Norwegian, discusses immigrants in Norway. It looks at how they fit into Norwegian culture.
• For ærens skyld - Fadime til ettertanke (2003) and In Honor of Fadime: Murder and Shame (2008): These books explore the idea of "honor" in some cultures. They discuss difficult topics related to family honor and violence. You can read an excerpt from one of these books.
• "Om ære." (2008): Another book in Norwegian that explores the concept of honor.
• Medmennesker: 35 år i Kairos bakgater (2004): This book, also in Norwegian, shares more of her experiences and observations from 35 years spent studying life in Cairo.

Future Works

• "Resonance: Beyond the Words" (forthcoming November 2012): This upcoming book explores how people communicate beyond just words.