Frank Aarebrot
A Norwegian political scientist who became a national fixture by translating complex elections into marathon television lectures everyone could understand.
1947–2017 (age 70)·Norwegian political scientist·Birthday: January 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Frank Aarebrot turned political science into a public spectacle. A professor of comparative politics, he possessed a rare talent for dissecting dense electoral systems and historical patterns with clarity and wit. His academic rigor was formidable, but his public persona—marked by rumpled charm and endless energy—is what made him a household name in Norway. He found his ultimate medium in live television, where he would deliver legendary 'marathon lectures,' standing for hours before maps and charts to explain the unfolding drama of elections, from local polls to U.S. presidential races. More than a commentator, he was a civic educator, using the glow of the screen to demystify democracy and foster an informed electorate, making politics feel both accessible and vitally important.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Frank was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Frank Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Frank's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
Key Achievements
- Became one of the most frequently cited academic voices in the Norwegian press for decades.
- Pioneered the televised 'election marathon' format in Norway, providing real-time analysis for viewers.
- Authored influential comparative studies on the collapse of empires and the development of European democracies.
- Served as a professor of comparative politics at the University of Bergen for most of his career.
Did You Know?
His televised election coverage could last up to twelve hours non-stop.
He was known for his distinctive, untidy hairstyle and casual dress sense on screen.
Aarebrot was a passionate advocate for the European Union, though Norway has never joined.
He co-authored a popular book on the history of Europe with comedian and writer Dagfinn Lyngbø.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport; you must understand the rules of the game.”
