Gender, sexuality, queer, trans

Rooted in feminist, queer, transfeminist and crip theoretical traditions, this field has developed into a strong and distinctive research profile within the Division of Gender Studies.

Drawing on the expertise of internationally recognised scholars, the research environment has established robust national, Nordic and international collaborations and partnerships. The theme brings together researchers working across a wide range of social, political and cultural contexts.

Research focus and perspectives

Researchers explore how gendered, queer, trans and crip forms of knowledge, care and social organisation are shaped, regulated and contested. A central concern is how dominant structures and hierarchies influence subjectivities and lived experiences, often in relation to state institutions and nation‑building processes.

Research is conducted across diverse settings, including education, violence, civil society, human rights, social movements, justice struggles, public policy, legal frameworks and digital environments. Analyses also address processes of racialisation in both historical and contemporary contexts, and in local as well as global perspectives.

Methods and analytical approaches

With strong support from public and private funding bodies, researchers and doctoral students within the theme critically engage with binary categories and classificatory systems related to gender and sexuality. Particular attention is given to how different forms of intimacy, relationality and embodiment can both reproduce and challenge social norms.

The research is characterised by ethnographic, intersectional, decolonial and transnational approaches, allowing for in‑depth, empirically grounded analyses of power, identity, intervention and alliance‑building across contexts.

Societal engagement and impact

Through close collaboration with grassroots networks, civil society organisations, municipalities and state agencies, researchers working within this theme actively contribute to policy development and public debate. The research produced not only advances academic knowledge but also informs discussions on social justice, rights and equality beyond the university.