Municipalities as key institutions in the welfare state: Crafting and communicating your research

The conference venue Rimforsa Strand from above
Photo credit: Projekt LakeSperience

Linköping University is pleased to announce a knowledge retreat for all PhD students who, in one way or another, have municipalities as their research subjects. The retreat, now in its second year, is organised and hosted by the Centre for Local Government Studies (CKS) and takes place in a beautiful environment in the countryside of Östergötland – Rimforsa Strand.

The retreat offers a unique opportunity for PhD students across diverse disciplines who share a common interest in researching municipalities. Whether directly studying municipal subjects or exploring related responsibilities, participants can engage in idea exchange and gain fresh perspectives. This year’s sessions will focus on the international relevance of the Swedish context, effective research communication with the field, and strategies for crafting strong research questions and how to write a thesis. Attendees will have the chance to discuss their research with senior scholars and fellow PhD students, fostering valuable insights for future work.

The retreat has a broad focus on municipalities as a research subject. This means that your research could concentrate on the municipality as an institution or on certain aspects or services that the municipality provides, such as education, elder care, local health or social services, municipal infrastructure and/or planning and zoning. Additionally, it could focus on sustainability, migration/segregation, democracy, or other topics related to the local level.

The retreat is open to PhD students from all disciplines at Linköping University. This means that PhD students who have just started their PhD or are about to defend their thesis are equally welcome. Those who participated last year are also invited to join this year’s retreat.

Given last year’s success, we look forward to building upon that momentum. Join us as we explore tips and tricks for your PhD journey, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and build lasting connections between disciplines.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Practical information

Date
August 12 - 14, 2024 (program starts at 10.00 on the 12th, and ends at 16:00 on the 14th).

Location
Rimforsa Strand. The setting is located 30 minutes south of Linköping.

Cost
The knowledge retreat is offered free of charge and includes all meals and housing. Additionally, transportation will be provided free of charge from Norrköping and Linköping.

Registration
Sign up here to participate. The deadline for registration is April 28. There is a limit of the number of participants. Among those who have a relevant dissertation project (i.e. research related to municipalities), reservations will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.

Program
A detailed program will be sent out shortly after the deadline has passed.

Contact information