Research
Current research project on the disability rights movement
I am currently conducting the research project Representation in the digital era: Democratic consequences of changing engagement in the Swedish disability movement. We are investigating the challenges faced by disability rights organizations in terms of digitalization, representation, and membership work through a survey conducted in collaboration with Begripsam (see link). Based on the survey results, we will select organizations to study in more detail using qualitative methods. Additionally, we will examine individuals and groups engaged in disability rights issues outside traditional organizational forms, such as on social media.
The background of the project stems from a previous project I conducted on behalf of the Council on Disability Issues and the Committee on Human Rights in the Västra Götaland Region. It was a study on the character of the disability rights movement, its political advocacy, and its perception of influence (see this link for the scientific paper).
Previous research on sexuality and disability
My latest research in the field of sexuality and disability was the two-year postdoctoral project Sexuality – An Access Issue (2019–2021). The aim was to explore how individuals with various accessibility needs, due to disabilities, chronic illnesses, neurodiversity, etc., experience how inaccessibility affects their possibilities to express their sexuality, form relationships, date, and more. The project was based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly Articles 23 and 25 addressing sexuality, family life, and sexual health. The results from the interview study will be published in the book Sexuality and Disability by Gleerups (in Swedish). I have published several papers from this projects and more are to follow, see for example this paper on intellectual disability and this paper on methodology and ethics when conducting sexuality research.
As a background to the interview study, I conducted a mapping of projects in civil society addressing sexuality and disability, analysed and published in a chapter, available at the following link: Access to sexuality.
In my doctoral thesis Too Close for Comfort? A Study of Sexuality, Disability and Personal Assistance I examined how mobility-impaired users of personal assistance, personal assistants, and assistance managers think about and handle sexual support. Additionally, I analyzed documents that addressed these issues in various ways. The results are presented in four scientific articles and the thesis (link).
For two years, I worked at the University of Leeds in England on the postdoctoral project Sexual Citizenship and Disability (link). The study compared England, the Netherlands, and the state of New South Wales in Australia regarding policies on sexual support and how disability rights organizations and other relevant actors addressed these issues. The results are presented, among other places, in the book Sexual Citizenship and Disability: Understanding Sexual Support in Policy, Practice and Theory (link).
In a smaller project, I studied sex education at the National Gymnasium for students with mobility impairments (see the article Cripping Sex Education: link).
Other research projects
On behalf of the Swedish Public Health Agency, I conducted a literature review on motivational interviewing (MI) for sexual health promotion for youth, and whether the method can be considered effective in HIV and STI prevention. The results are presented in a report (in Swedish) and the paper Motivational interviewing as evidence-based practice? (link).
Teaching
I teach in the social work program and the master's program in social work, but I also guest lecture at other institutions and universities in Sweden.
I am the second supervisor to Ida Hall, doctoral student (link).
Collaboration
My research often involves collaboration with civil society, and I am happy to give lectures/workshops to personnel in disability services and authorities responsible for disability and/or SRHR policy.