University of Oslo

Faculty Member, Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas

Associate Professor

About

Kjetil Fallan (BA, MPhil, PhD) is a historian specializing in 20th century industrial design and material culture. He is an Associate Professor of Design History at the University of Oslo.

Fallan is the author of the book Design History: Understanding Theory and Method (Berg Publishers, 2010), the editor of the anthology Scandinavian Design: Alternative Histories (Berg Publishers, 2012), and has written a number of articles on various aspects of design history (see "Papers" link on the left). Dr. Fallan also serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Design History.

Having studied engineering design, sociology and history, Fallan holds an MPhil in History and a PhD in Cultural History - both degrees from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Fallan is interested in the relations between design history and the history of technology, and well as the theoretical insight from science and technology studies (STS) and their value to design history.

His teaching is currently centered on running a BA-level survey course in design history, a joint BA/MA-level advanced course in design culture, and a compulsory BA-level course in historiography, theory and method - all offered in the University of Oslo's art history programme. Previous teaching experience includes running an introductory course in design history offered in NTNU's MSc programme in industrial design, lecturing on an interdisciplinary course on material culture intended for undergraduates in the humanities and lecturing on methodological perspectives of material culture to postgraduates architecture and design. Fallan has also given lectures on the PhD programmes at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, L'Escola d'Arquitectura de Barcelona, and the Oslo School of Architecture and Design.