Education
1979: BA-degree in history from the University of Iceland.
1983: Cand. mag.-degree in history from the University of Iceland.
1992: Ph.D. in economic history from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Employment
1981–1987: Teacher of history and social studies at sixth form college, Menntaskolinn vid Sund, Reykjavik
1991: Research fellowship under the auspices of the Icelandic Science Council.
1992–1995: Co-author and co-editor of Icelandic Historical Statistics at Statistics Iceland.
1993–1998: Lecturer, part-time, University of Iceland and Teachers’ College of Iceland
1995–1998: Researcher at the Institute of History, University of Iceland. Project: Iceland’s Gross Domestic Product, 1870–1945.
1998–2000: Lecturer in history, University of Iceland.
2000–2004:  Senior lecturer in history, University of Iceland.
2004: Professor of history, University of Iceland

Professional activities
1981–1983: Chairman of the Association of Icelandic Historians; on its board 1992–1994.
1994-1997: On the board of the National Committee of Icelandic Historians, chairman 2002–2004.
1995-2002: Co-editor of the historical journals Saga and Ny saga.
1999–2000: Head of the history department, University of Iceland.
2000–2003: Member of the panel for the humanities and the social sciences, RANNIS (The Icelandic Centre for Research Fund). Chairman 2003–2005.
2002–2004: Director of the Institute of Historical Research.
2007-2013: Chairman of the board of the  Icelandic Centre for Oral History, National and University Library of Iceland.
2007–2013: Member of the steering group of The Nordic Welfare State – Historical Foundations and Future Challenge. Nordic Centre of Excellence 2007–2012.
2012-2014: Head of the History Department, University of Iceland.
2018-2021: Director of the Institute of History, University of Iceland.