Christies gate 15 changes the building name to Stein Rokkans hus

Official name change on September 22nd

On Friday, September 22nd, Christies gate 15 will officially change name to Stein Rokkans hus. Stein Rokkan was the first person to have a building named after him at the University of Bergen. However, Christies gate 15 is not the first university buidling to bear this name. 

Starting in 1980, the building at Rosenbergsgaten 35, now named Sofie Lindstrøms hus, was known as Stein Rokkans hus. This renaming in 1980 was proposed by the Stein Rokkan Comittee, which was established by the University after his passing on July 22, 1979. During this period, Stein Rokkans hus accommodated various sosial science diciplines, including comparative politics, sociology, and social anthropology.

The name was later transferred to Nygårdsgaten 5 after the University of bergen acquired the building from Bergens Tidende in 2003. The purpose was to house the social science communities in Bergen. When the decision was made to renovate Nygårdsgaten 5 in order to centralize all administrative functions at UiB, the Department of Comparative Politics proposed transferring the name to Christies gate 15. The request was approved by the University Board, and on Friday, the formal name change will be celebrated with a ceremony. 

To celebrate this historic event, Rector Margareth Hagen and Head of Department Leiv Marsteintredet will unveil the new nameplate, and there will be cake and refreshments for everyone to enjoy. 

- We are pleased with the University of Bergen's decision to rename Christies gate 15 as Stein Rokkans hus, and excited that the name is coming 'home' to the dicipline that Rokkan established, says Head of Department Leiv Marsteintredet.

The Department's history at Christies gate 15

Regarding the history of the Department at Christies gate 15, the house, designed by architect Johan Faye, holds significant historical and architectural value as part of Nygårdshøyden. The University of Bergen acquired this villa in 1964, serving as an office building for faculty and students of the Faculty of Social Sciences. In 1992, UiB decided that the Department of Comparative Politics would have a permanent residence at Christies gate 15. 

It is highly symbolic that Christies gate 15 is taking on the name Stein Rokkans hus. Not only is Rokkan one of the most influential social scientists of all time, both nationally and internationally, but he is also the founder of comparative politics as a dicipline at UiB. The renaming of Christies gate 15 to Stein Rokkans hus is a significant and well-deserved tribute to his memory and to the research tradition he represents.