Logo: to the web site of Uppsala University

This thesis examines UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme by focusing on the Swedish world memories inscribed on the programs international register. The aim of the study is to contribute with knowledge about the selection process to the international register and the subsequent effects an entry to the register might have. 

The methods used in the study are document studies and qualitative interviews with representatives from the different Swedish heritage institutions with world memories inscribed to the international register. The documents and interviews have been analyzed using qualitative content analysis. 

The study shows that there are several problems with naming certain documentary heritage as particularly significant. The problems are often linked to the international register’s selection process. The selection process can in several cases be complex and can in some cases constitute an obstacle for documentary heritage that does not have a devoted manager. Furthermore, the study also shows that a successful nomination may have several effects linked to visibility, accessibility, conservation, and finances. However, these effects are often dependent on the institutions themselves using the nomination in different ways.

This is a two years master's thesis in Archival science.