Kunskapens händer Kunskapstraditioner, maskulinitet och förändring i Lesjöfors 1940-2010

Sammanfattning: Lesjöfors, located in the municipality of Filipstad in Värmland, has a mining history dating back to the 1600s. In the mid-1970s, however, Lesjöfors, like Bergslagen at large, suffered from the international recession, and structural change had a major impact on this region, affecting society as well as individuals. These transformations form the basis of this thesis.In today’s society, knowledge or training is constantly in demand. However, the political context does not always allow for a consideration of the impact of decisions on small local communities and individuals in rural areas. Even the most well-intentioned politician and decision-maker may find themselves in the cultural trap of seeing "the others", "ordinary people" in a certain light or perspective. In a world that increasingly emphasizes knowledge, it is important to discuss what this development actually means to people.This thesis investigates the importance of local knowledge traditions in a mining district during an eventful historical phase. The main focus is on men and the role that local knowledge traditions – including knowledge patterns and knowledge ideals – have played in their choice of education. The study covers the period 1940-2010, which was marked by both industrial progress and drastic decline, and offers the opportunity to identify change over time.The study shows that there are clear trends in today's society to educate people, get them to break with the past, adopt new lifestyles and rational approaches. In Lesjöfors it is no longer possible to live the way people used to, that is, like their ancestors, to enter the industry as they reach full maturity. This means that the need to adapt to the requirements of a new situation while retaining the knowledge and identity of the past creates social conflicts of interests and an ambivalent situation for the individual.