Þór Whitehead (Thor Whitehead) (born 19 August 1943) is an Icelandic historian. He is currently a professor at the University of Iceland.
Thor has written extensively on the history of Iceland during World War II and the Cold War. His best known work is the multi-volume series Ísland í síðari heimsstyrjöld (Iceland in the Second World War). He has also written about other episodes in Icelandic history, such as the Icelandic government's rejection of Jewish refugees during the war, and the racist policies of banning black soldiers from the American-garrisoned Naval Air Station Keflavik.
Education Thor received a BA degree from the University of Iceland, an MA from the University of Georgia and his DPhil from Oxford University.
Academic career Research lecturer, University of Iceland, 1978–1981 Professor of history, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland, 1981- Director, Institute of History, University of Iceland, 1983–1985 Fulbright Research Fellow and Visiting Scholar, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, United States, 1986 Humboldt Fellow, Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt der Bundeswehr, Freiburg, Germany, 1986–1988 Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Iceland, 1989–1991 Visiting Research Professor, Université Paul-Valéry, Montpellier III, Montpellier, France, 1992–1993 Chairman, Department of History, 1994–1995 Humboldt Fellow, Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt der Bundeswehr, Freiburg, Germany, 1996–1997 Visiting Research Professor, Université Paul-Valéry, Montpellier III, Montpellier, France, 2002–2003, 2005–2006, Chairman, Department of History and Archaeology, University of Iceland 2006–2007
Publications
The Icelandic Literary Prize, 1995.
The Icelandic Booksellers Prize, 2002.
Sources
Who is Who in the World 2009.
External links Interview in the Reykjavik Grapevine Þór Whitehead's website at the University of Iceland