Conversations on the conditions of research
In 2024-2025, the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research is organising a series of discussions on the conditions for research. The aim is to provide a forum for knowledge development, exchange of ideas and in-depth discussions with relevance in terms of research policy.
The conversations address current challenges in research and higher education, drawing on concepts such as academic freedom, hope labour and meritocracy. Speakers with relevant expertise are invited to reflect on a concept or issue affecting the higher education sector, in the form of short presentations followed by discussions between participants. The talks take place in front of an invited audience and are organised in collaboration with other stakeholders.
News about the conversation series
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The page will be updated with future talks
EARLIER CONVERSATIONS
27/11 2024 Open Seminar, University 91探花
Hungriga vargar jagar b盲st? Akademisk frihet och tillg氓ngen p氓 resurser
I en f盲rsk unders枚kning fr氓n (UK脛) angav n盲stan alla tillfr氓gade l盲rare, forskare och doktorander att akademisk frihet 盲r en viktig f枚ruts盲ttning f枚r deras arbete. P氓 fr氓gan om vad som utmanar den akademiska friheten idag var de vanligaste svaren politisk p氓verkan, forskningsfinansiering och likriktning inom akademiska milj枚er. Under 2023 beslutade regeringen att avbryta en riktad utlysning av st枚d till utvecklingsforskning vilket, enligt en som forskarn盲tverket SweDev genomf枚rt, f氓tt forskare att l盲mna f盲ltet.
Detta v盲cker den st枚rre fr氓gan hur finansieringsstrukturen styr vilken forskning som faktiskt kan bedrivas vid v氓ra l盲ros盲ten. Det s盲gs ibland om akademisk konkurrens att 鈥漢ungriga vargar jagar b盲st鈥, men de jagar ocks氓 vanligtvis d盲r det finns l盲ttf氓ngat byte. Det 盲r kanske inte hunger, utan nyfikenhet som beh枚vs 鈥 och m枚jligheten att ut枚va den nyfikenheten.
Erika Alm, docent i genusvetenskap och vicedekan f枚r utbildning p氓 grund- och avancerad niv氓 vid Humanistiska fakulteten
Git Claesson Pipping, docent, f枚rbundsdirekt枚r SULF 2006-2022
Olof Hallonsten, docent i sociologi med fokus p氓 organisationssociologi och vetenskapssociologi, Lunds universitet
Ytterligare medverkande tillkommer.
Moderator: David Brax, senior utredare, Nationella sekretariatet f枚r genusforskning
Tid: 14:00 - 16:00
Plats G枚teborgs universitets huvudbyggnad i Vasaparken, Universitetsplatsen 1, G枚teborg
Varmt v盲lkomna!
L盲s mer om Jonseredsverksamheten h盲r:
Jonsereds herrg氓rd, G枚teborgs universitet
27/11 2024 Seminar, University 91探花
Who is free in academia? How lack of resources and work environment affect conditions for research
The health of academic freedom has been the subject of much debate in Sweden in recent years. However, dominant themes in the public sphere are not reflected among researchers themselves, according to a major survey by UK脛. Their report from this spring shows that the conditions of research funding, informal networks and political influence are limiting freedom, rather than 鈥渃ancel culture鈥 or easily offended students. So what is academic freedom, and what is its value?
The fact that academic freedom encompasses real space for researchers to shape their own research, teaching, publishing and other communications is rarely discussed in public. What conditions favor or hinder this freedom? Should it be seen as an individual right or a prerequisite for the quality and societal benefit of research? This also raises questions about temporary employment, downsizing and workload, self-censorship and informal networks, research funding and political control. Who actually has the actual preconditions to be considered academically free in a substantial sense?
The conversation is organized by Jonsered Herrg氓rd in collaboration with the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research, both at the University 91探花.
Martin Bergman senior analyst, Office of the University Chancellor, 脜sa Wikforss professor of philosophy, member of the Swedish Academy and Git Claesson Pipping director of SULF 2006-2022.
Moderators: David Brax senior analyst at the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research, and Lena Ulrika Rudeke director of Jonsered Herrg氓rd.
Read more about the idea and practice of the Jonsereds Seminar here:
Jonseredsseminarier | Jonsereds herrg氓rd, G枚teborgs universitet
NOTE: The talk will be held in Swedish
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INVITATIONS
Personal invitations to the seminars will be sent out. The number of places is limited.
Time 09:00 - 12:30
Location University 91探花 main building in Vasaparken, Universitetsplatsen 1, Gothenburg
DO YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE? KNOW SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE?
Are you a stakeholder interested and wish to participate in the seminar, if there are places available? Do you have a colleague or partner who would like to participate? Email your or their interest to jonseredsherrgard@gu.se together with name, organization and role within it, as well as input to the seminar topic.
Talk at the G枚teborg Book Fair
26/9, 10:00 - 10:45 at the University 91探花 stand
鈥楬ope labour鈥 in academic work
Conversation between Kim Silow Kallenberg, Associate Professor of Ethnology at S枚dert枚rn University and member of Humtank, and David Brax, Senior Analyst, Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research.
鈥楬ope labour鈥 is work performed for no or inadequate pay in the hope that it will lead to better working conditions in the future. This type of labour is common in academia and carries a number of risks, such as burnout and exploitation of precarious workers. In particular, this is a problem if the 鈥榟ope鈥 is never realised. What can we do to make visible, problematise and counteract the negative aspects of this work?
The conversation will be moderated by Inga-Bodil Ekselius, Communications Officer, Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research.
NOTE: The talk will be held in Swedish
4/11 2024 Seminar at the University 91探花
Is academia thriving on hope?
The term 'hope labor' refers to work performed for no, or inadequate, pay in the hope that it will lead to better working conditions in the future. This type of work is common in academia and carries a number of risks, such as increased risk of burnout and exploitation of precarious workers. In particular, hope labour becomes a problem when the 'hope' is never fulfilled, or when the financial space to carry out such work is unevenly distributed. What are the consequences of hope labor in academia? How important is it for the academy to carry out hope labor? And what can we do to make visible, problematize and counteract negative aspects of this work
The talk will feature:
Anna-Carin Fagerlind St氓hl, MD, author of the report "In the shadow of uncertainty: on external funding, precarious employment and work environment in higher education", and working on a project on "Challenges in the work environment for research and teaching staff in the higher education sector", for the Swedish Work Environment Authority. https://sulf.se/nyhet/kvinnor-i-akademin-paverkas-mer-av-otrygga-villkor/
Kim Silow Kallenberg, associate professor of ethnology at S枚dert枚rn University and member of Humtank. She has written about stress and exhaustion in academia: http://humtank.se/oandliga-krav-och-andliga-resurser-om-stressade-akademiker-och-en-utmattad-akademi/
Sara Kalm, Associate Professor of Political 91探花 at Lund University. She has written about academic household work: https://sociologiskforskning.se/sf/article/view/19503
David Brax, PhD in practical philosophy and senior analyst at the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research.
NOTE: The talk will be held in Swedish