Elisabeth Niklasson

Dr. Elisabeth Niklasson is a Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Aberdeen's School of Geosciences, Department of Archaeology. She holds a double Master's in Cultural Heritage Management and Archaeological Computing from the University of Gothenburg (2009) and a Ph.D. in Archaeology from Stockholm University (2016). Her research explores the intersection of archaeology, heritage politics, and EU cultural policies, with a focus on political polarization, far-right rhetoric, and funding mechanisms.

Teaching responsibilities include courses such as 'Current Issues in Archaeology,' 'Indigenous Archaeology,' and 'Heritage Politics and Practice.' She advises UG/PG students and provides pastoral care for up to 10 students annually. Her postdoctoral work at Stanford University (2017-2019) focused on EU heritage schemes and far-right movements' use of heritage.

Key research areas include EU grant systems' impact on archaeological networking, the European Heritage Label, and heritage's role in far-right identity politics. Recent publications analyze political polarization, heritage governance, and Scandinavian far-right rhetoric. She has contributed to the International Journal of Cultural Policy, Democracy and Autocracy, and edited volumes on polarized heritage.

Professional experience includes grant administration for EU cultural programs at the European Commission and fieldwork in Sweden, Argentina, Bosnia, and Ireland. She co-authored Polarized Pasts: Heritage and Belonging in Times of Political Polarization (2023) and regularly publishes on heritage's sociopolitical dimensions.