ABSTRACT
Occupational associations based on specific competencies are traditionally regarded as a sign of professionalisation; professional associations, in turn, are important stakeholders in the formation and demarcation of an area of competence. In Sweden, with its rather small community of archivists, there has until now been no overarching professional association but rather a variety of associations organised to promote the professional development and advancement of archivists in specific institutional contexts. These associations, characterised by different sectoral affiliations and different relationships with the National Archives, have resulted in a diversified organisational landscape. This chapter describes and analyses the histories of these associations and their role in the professionalisation of archivists. All of these associations have striven for enhanced competence and status of record keepers, while serving different, but sometimes overlapping, target groups, who are presumed to have different interests. The associations have used different combinations of closure and integrative strategies to strengthen their cause. While their initial development was characterised by some conflict and divergence, more recently the field has seen growing collaboration and convergence, pointing towards the formation of a unified professional association.
