My doctoral dissertation examined the national organisations of the Swedish school student movement and their participation in educational politics between 1938 and 2005. By tracing the historical development of these organisations, I demonstrated that students should be understood not merely as recipients of educational policy but also as political actors who actively sought to influence the development of schooling and broader educational debates.
My research is situated at the intersection of the history of education, sociology and political science. I primarily work with historical sources produced by organisations and associations – including archival collections, periodicals and annual reports – to investigate how collective actors have organised, articulated political demands and negotiated room for manoeuvre within the institutional framework of the education system.
Current research
As a postdoctoral researcher at Linköping University, I am currently part of the research programme The Folk High School as a Mirror of Contemporary Society. The project examines how Swedish folk high schools have evolved over the past 150 years through the construction and analysis of a large-scale digital historical database. My work focuses on developing and analysing this unique research infrastructure to generate new knowledge about how folk high schools have reflected broader societal transformations, shifting educational ideals, and institutional change in politics and the economy. By combining traditional historical scholarship with digital methods, the project opens new possibilities for studying the history of education on a much larger scale than has previously been possible.
I am convinced that historical research can contribute to a deeper understanding of contemporary educational issues. Examining how educational institutions, organisations and ideas have developed over time provides important perspectives on the conflicts, opportunities and choices that continue to shape education systems today.
My research interests include the history of education, the relationship between schools and folk high schools, civil society and the state, social movements and voluntary associations, educational policy, and questions of democracy, organisation and collective action.