New article: "Tredje uppgiften" and curation as a pedagogical tool in geographical research

In their article, Nordvall and Ward describe how, by utilizing the principle of "tredje uppgiften" (the third task), they have discovered that curation can be a valuable pedagogical method for encouraging students to reflect on the methodology behind their research. By creating a public exhibition on ethnographic research methods, the researchers encountered challenges that forced them to critically examine and reflect on how they apply their research methods in practice.

They explain that curation involves not only compiling knowledge content, but also actively selecting and positioning this curated knowledge in a spatially informed way. Drawing on their own experiences, they suggest that curation can raise important questions about research methods, which in turn promote methodological reflection and a deeper understanding of the research process. Finally, they discuss how curation can be used as an effective teaching tool in various geographical contexts.

Read the article: Ward, T., & Nordvall, B. (2025). "Watching. Being. Tracing." Perspectives from doctoral students on tredje uppgiften and curation as a pedagogical tool. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 1–9.

Björn Nordvall is a doctoral student in Human Geography at Stockholm University.
Tom Ward is a doctoral student in Human Geography at Uppsala University.