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Bilde av Bæck, Unn-Doris K.
Bilde av Bæck, Unn-Doris K.
Professor, sociology of education Department of Education unn-doris.k.back@uit.no +4777644367 Tromsø You can find me here

Unn-Doris K. Bæck

Job description

I work as a professor, with primary interests in the sociology of education and youth sociology.

My research focuses on various distinction categories, such as social and geographical background as well as gender, and explores how these categories manifest themselves in different contexts and settings. This leads me to examine various social systems and institutions relevant to children and youth, related to education, work, and leisure among others. How do different background variables play out within these systems and institutions, and how can this lead to the production and reproduction of social differences?

  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Linda Wilhelmsen, Marte Liset, Annfrid Rosøy Steele :
    8. Distanse og nærhet gjennom fiksjon
    04. November 2025 DOI
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Muligheter og utfordringer i samarbeid mellom hjem og skole
    2025
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Outi Autti :
    “Here Comes the Teacher”: Navigating the Complexities of Being a Teacher in Rural Finland
    Education Sciences 2025 DOI
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Navigating change – Adult learning systems in Norway from 1990 onwards
    2025
  • Unn-Doris Karlsen Bæck :
    Approaches to spatial inequalities in a Nordic welfare state – the case of Norway
    Research in Education 2024 DOI / ARKIV
  • Gunnar Colbjørnsen Aakvaag, Unn-Doris Karlsen Bæck :
    Å studere det norske fellesskapet som robust fellesskap
    2024 DOI / ARKIV
  • Unn-Doris Karlsen Bæck :
    Utdanning som fellesskapsskapende prosjekt
    2024 DOI / ARKIV
  • Margaret Scotford Archer, Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Tone Skinningsrud :
    Introduction
    2022
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Towards a critical realist ontology for spatial education analysis
    2022 DOI
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Understanding the space for parental voices in school governance – Perspectives from Norway
    2021
  • Anna-Maria Helena Stenseth, Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Being Able to Stay or Learning to Stay: A Study of Rural Boys’ Educational Orientations and Transitions
    Journal of Applied Youth Studies (JAYS) 2021 DOI / ARKIV
  • Daniel Andre Voll Rød, Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Structural enablements and constraints in the creation and enactment of local content in Norwegian education
    Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy 2020 DOI / ARKIV
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Spatial maneuvering in education. Educational experiences and local opportunity structures among rural youth in Norway
    Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education (NJCIE) 2019 DOI / ARKIV
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Parental Involvement in Norway – Ideals and Realities
    2019 DOI
  • Outi Autti, Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Rural Teachers and Local Curricula. Teaching Should not be a Bubble Disconnected from the Community
    Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 2019 DOI
  • Karin Helene Danielsen, Annfrid Rosøy Steele, Eva Margareta Alerby, Siv Anita Bjørkli, Hilde Brox, Unn-Doris K. Bæck et al.:
    Læringsglede. Ulike perspektiver på motivasjon og engasjement i læringsprosesser
    Fagbokforlaget 04. November 2025 DOI
  • Mette Bunting, Astrid Camilla Wiig, Kenneth Larsen, Christine Watne Kristiansen, Astrid Birgitte Eggen, Inger Kjersti Lindvig et al.:
    Tilpasset opplæring- i forskning og praksis
    Cappelen Damm Akademisk 2025 DOI
  • Gunnar Colbjørnsen Aakvaag, Unn-Doris Karlsen Bæck :
    Robuste fellesskap
    Fagbokforlaget 2024 ARKIV
  • Margaret Scotford Archer, Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Tone Skinningsrud :
    The Morphogenesis of the Norwegian Educational System. Emergence and Development from a Critical Realist Perspective
    Routledge 2022 DOI / FULLTEKST
  • Margaret S. Archer, Unn-Doris Karlsen Bæck, Tone Skinningsrud :
    The Morphogenesis of the Norwegian Educational System. Emergence and Development from a Critical Realist Perspective. Routledge. Routledge Studies in Critical Realism.
    Routledge 2022
  • Margaret Scotford Archer, Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Tone Skinningsrud :
    The Morphogenesis of the Norwegian Educational System: Emergence and Development.
    Routledge 2022
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Hjem-skole-samarbeid
    Fagbokforlaget 2019
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2023): “Education Performance and Spatial Factors”, paper presented at ECER-conference, Glasgow, Scotland, September 2023
    2023
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2023): « Spatial intricacies in rural education landscapes – hard data and soft reflections on education motivations, trajectories and transitions», paper presented at symposium “Politics of non-urban places in educational transitions and guidance”, at NORNet2023 4th Nordic Conference on Research on Transitions, Career and Guidance, Turku, Finland, October 2023
    2023
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2023): Discussant at “Place-Based Inequity for Schools: International Considerations for at More Inclusive Education System”, ECER (European Educational Research Association)-conference, Glasgow, Scotland, Sept 2023
    2023
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Rural Pupils Making their Way through the Norwegian Education System: Enablements, Constraints and Agency in a Northern Norwegian Context
    UiT Norges arktiske universitet 11. March 2022
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    NERA-KEYNOTE "Education, Togetherness and Robust Community in Precarious Times”
    2022
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2022): “Digitalization of Home-School Relationship and Parental Involvement – How Does It Affect Questions of Inclusion and Exclusion?”, presented at working group roundtable “Digitalization and Its Impact on Home-School Partnership and Parental Involvement”, American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting (AERA), San Diego April 2022.
    2022
  • Inger Marie Holm, Anette Iren Langås Larsen, Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    U16 sin mentorordning i Tromsø kommune vekker forskningsinteresse
    17. July 2022
  • Margaret Scotford Archer, Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Tone Skinningsrud :
    Introduction
    2022 DOI
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Education, Togetherness and Robust Community in Precarious Times
    2022
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2021). Why rural matters – perspectives from Norway. International expert panel, National Congress on Rural Education in Canada (NCREC): “Rural Education Beyond Borders: Reframing the Conversation.”
    2021
  • Inger Marie Holm, Arja Mubanga-Bjørn, Bjarne Woll, Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Merete Saus, Anne Charlotte Kvande-Hemmingsen :
    De unges egne stemmer må bli hørt i arbeidet med rusreformen
    2021
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2021): “Parents in School Governance – The Case of Norway”, presented at symposium “The Nordic Model of Education and Home-School Relations”, American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting (AERA)
    2021
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2021). Experiences from doing education research on geographical differences in different national contexts. International Emerging Rural Scholars Summit, International Symposium for Innovation in Rural Education, Perth, Scotland.
    2021
  • Inger Marie Holm, arja mubanga-bjørn, Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Merete Saus :
    Vi må bli flinkere til å inkludere ungdom
    17. March 2021
  • Outi Marja Autti, Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Alanko, Anu, Autti, Outi & Bæck, UDB (2019): “Remoteness - a challenge for home-school cooperation?” Paper presented at ERNAPE conference, Gdansk, Poland, September 2019
    2019
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2019): “Continuity and change in opportunity structures - a morphogenetic approach to spatial differences in education.” Paper presented at ECER-conference, Hamburg, Germany, September 2019
    2019
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2019): “The significance of context in educational choices among students in Norway.” Paper presented at NERA conference, Uppsala, Sweden, March 2019
    2019
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2019): “Spatial inequality and the Nordic model of education” Paper presented at WERA conference Tokyo, Japan, August 2019
    2019
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2019): “Local voices in school governance – perspectives from Norway”. Key note, International Conference on School Governance: Trends, Challenges and Countermeasures. Shanghai, China, Nov 2019.
    2019
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2018): “The significance of context in educational choices among students in Norway”. Paper presented at the Nordic Conference for Rural Research, Billund, Denmark, May 2018.
    2018
  • Outi Marja Autti, Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Autti, Outi & Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2018: “Rural teachers and local curricula? ?Teaching should not be a bubble disconnected from the community?” Paper presented at the ISFIRE Conference 2018, Montana State University, August 2018.
    2018
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2018): Speaker at Roundtable “Critical Perspectives on parental involvement Across European Education Systems”, ECER (European Educational Research Association)-conference, Bolzano, Italy, Sept 2018.
    2018
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2018): Discussant at “Preparing Pre-School Teachers for Family School Partnerships: International Perspectives”, ECER (European Educational Research Association)-conference, Bolzano, Italy, Sept 2018.
    2018
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2018): “Home-School Cooperation – Perspectives from a Norwegian Context”, NERA – Nordic Educational Research Association – Network 18 Pre-Conference, Oslo, March 2018.
    2018
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2018): “Parental Involvement in Upper/Senior Secondary Education – Challenges, Controversies and Changing Power Relations”. Key note, International Conference on Senior Secondary Education in an Age og Massification: Trends, Aims and Challenges. Shanghai, China, June 2018
    2018
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2018): “Hva betyr bosted for jenters og gutters utdanningsorienteringer?"
    2018
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck, Outi Marja Autti :
    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. & Autti, Outi (2018): “´Here Comes the Teacher!´ Being a Teacher in a Rural Community”. Paper presented at the ISFIRE Conference 2018, Montana State University, August 2018.
    2018
  • Unn-Doris K. Bæck :
    Bæck, UDB (2018): “Home-school cooperation in teacher education in Norway.” Presented at INET – International Network of Scholars’ Roundtable, New York, USA, April 2018.
    2018

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    Research interests

    • education and social inequality
    • education policy
    • home-school cooperation and parental involvement in school
    • geographical educational differences
    • youth in the north and in the Arctic
    • rural education

    Chair of the research group EDU-NOR EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY IN THE HIGH NORTH

    LATEST PUBLICATIONS:

    Books:

    Aakvaag, Gunnar C. & Unn-Doris K. Bæck (Eds.) (2024): Robuste fellesskap. Sosiologiske perspektiver på fellesskap i Norge (Robust community. Sociological perspectives on community in Norway). Oslo, Norway: Fagbokforlaget. Open access

    Archer, Margaret S., Unn-Doris K. Bæck, and Tone Skinningsrud (Eds) (2022). The Morphogenesis of the Norwegian Educational System. Emergence and Development from a Critical Realist Perspective. Routledge. Routledge Studies in Critical Realism.

    Journal Articles & Book Chapters:

    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (upcoming Aug 2025): Navigating Change – Adult Learning Systems in Norway from 1990 onwards, in Desjardins, Richard & Kalenda, Jan (Eds.): A Modern Guide to Adult Learning Systems. Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2024): Utdanning som fellesskapsskapende prosjekt (Education as a community creating project”, in Aakvaag, Gunnar & Unn-Doris K. Bæck (Eds.): Robuste fellesskap (Robust community). Oslo, Norway: Fagbokforlaget.

    Aakvaag, Gunnar C. & Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2024): Å studere det norske fellesskapet som robust fellesskap (Studying the Norwegian community as a robust community), in Aakvaag, Gunnar & Unn-Doris K. Bæck (Eds.): Robuste fellesskap (Robust community). Oslo, Norway: Fagbokforlaget. https://doi.org/10.55669/oa240201

    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2024): Approaches to spatial inequalities in a Nordic welfare state – the case of Norway. Research in Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00345237241242992

    Bæck, Unn-Doris K. (2022): Towards a critical realist ontology of spatial education analysis, in Archer, Margaret S., Unn-Doris K. Bæck, and Tone Skinningsrud (Eds). The Morphogenesis of the Norwegian Educational System. Emergence and Development from a Critical Realist Perspective. Routledge. Routledge Studies in Critical Realism. Routledge.

    Archer, Margaret S., Unn-Doris K. Bæck, and Tone Skinningsrud (2022): Introduction, in Archer, Margaret S., Unn-Doris K. Bæck, and Tone Skinningsrud (Eds). The Morphogenesis of the Norwegian Educational System. Emergence and Development from a Critical Realist Perspective. Routledge. Routledge Studies in Critical Realism. Routledge.

     

    Teaching

    My teaching is primarily related to social science perspectives on education and upbringing, as well as social science methods (qualitative and quantitative research methods).

    Researcher profile in Cristin
    ORCID: https://doi.org/10.1177/00345237241242992

    Member of research group

    Space and Time in Education – STED   Norsk innhold RUR-ED Spatial Inequalities and Spatial Justice   Norsk innhold Robuste fellesskap   Norsk innhold Education and Social Sustainability in the High North   English content

    Member of project

    Verktøy for å studere samfunnet    Norsk innhold
    ILP Lærerutdanning 5.077


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