Meet some of our researchers
Do you want to learn more about our researchers and what we do at the Swedish Defence University? Here you will find interviews with some of the researchers at the Swedish Defence University.
Our researchers are experts within the fields of societal security, defence, leadership under stressful conditions and crisis management. Below you will find interviews with some of them about their research and current projects.
With a focus on sexual violence against civilians
Maria Eriksson Baaz's research revolves around violence against civilians, particularly with a focus on sexual violence in both war and peace contexts. "In situations where sexual violence...
Sweden's path to NATO
Magnus Christiansson has transitioned from being a teacher at the Karlberg Military Academy to becoming a researcher and senior lecturer at the Swedish Defence University. He frequently appe...
"A common thread in my work is to support innovation management"
Ingrid Kihlander has been in place as an adjunct professor in innovation management at the Swedish Defence University since October 9, 2023.
"We need to learn more about Russia"
Although Russia has been high on the news agenda since the invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, Oscar Jonsson is convinced that we need more knowledge to understand and evaluate...
Military history research provides new perspectives
Having begun her research career focusing on European politics during the Cold War, Maria Gussarsson's interest in military history was sparked when she started digging in the War Archives....
She wants to understand how totalitarianism arises
Evin Ismail researches the development of Islamic ideology, and she is currently writing a popular science book on the modern history of Islam. "I am also interested in the information infl...
Passive-destructive leaders are the worst
Maria Fors Brandebo's research has unexpectedly shown that it is the passive destructive leadership behaviors that often have the greatest negative impact. "They not only exacerbate workpla...
"I like to ask big questions!
Antoine Bousquet is a researcher that likes to look at broad historical processes and draw connections from different fields. He has recently published a second edition of his first book Th...
A security policy jack-of-all-trades
Kjell Engelbrekt has conducted research in the areas of European security policy, transatlantic security and superpower diplomacy. His current research focus is to evaluate Sweden's role in...
Strengthening the empiric historical research
With a strong anchoring in the empirical tradition, Professor Steve Murdoch hopes to contribute with new knowledge, both about the military-diplomatic relations between Scotland and the Nord...
She wants to contribute to more secure oceans
Associate Senior Lecturer Adriana Ávila-Zúñiga Nordfjeld's research focuses on port and maritime safety and security. With extensive experience in the field, one of her driving forces is to...
How is leadership affected by the organisation?
Erik Berntson has long been interested in leadership issues and his research focuses on the organisational conditions for managers in leadership positions. "There is quite a lot known about...
From submarine commander to professor
Roar Espevik has a background as a submarine officer and extensive experience in leadership development under stressful conditions. His drive to try something new led him to the Swedish Defe...
“Information is the core of security policy”
As social media and digital channels make the news flow both faster and more readily available, it has become increasingly clear that information is an instrument of power. Charlotte Wagnsso...
Feminist perspectives on civil war
Jenny Hedström, associate professor and associate senior lecturer in War Studies, researches gender and civil war with a special focus on Myanmar. She is currently working on a study that ex...
“It feels very meaningful”
Gerry Larsson’s research mainly focuses on leadership and leadership development. He is the man behind a widely used leadership model known as Developmental Leadership, which has been used b...
He wants to contribute to improving the work of the Armed Forces
One of Peter Thunholm's driving forces is to find new solutions that can improve the Armed Forces' operations, and his research has, among other things, laid the foundation for a new plannin...
“Unique environment for research on gender, peace and security”
On 9 January 2019, Annick Wibben was appointed the Swedish Defence University’s first Anna Lindh Professor in Gender, Peace and Security. Her ambition is to create an environment for the exc...
He is looking to understand the nature and character of warfare
Jerker Widén is a Professor of War Studies at the Swedish Defence University. His research focuses on military theory with a focus on naval thinking. "My work is focused on analysing theori...
From environmental policy to political philosophy
Ronnie Hjorth, Professor of Political Science at the Department of Political Science and Law, began his research career with a thesis on environmental policy. Now, his interest in political...
Curiosity leads the way
Linus Hagström, Professor of Political Science at the Swedish Defence University, has gone from a narrow research focus centered on Japanese foreign and security policy to a broader research...
How wars and conflicts affect the individual
The impact of war, conflicts or lack of security on the individual is the main theme of Mariam Bjarnesen's research. Drawing on ethnographic research traditions, she has conducted several fi...
Challenge in achieving profitability in innovation work
Michael Ekenstedt is an adjunct professor at the Department of Systems Science for Defence and Security. This means he splits his time between strategy and business development at Saab Dynam...
"The full range of human behaviour"
Ann Enander's research on leadership and how people react in crisis and risk situations is a very current matter. Enander is one of the experts in the government-appointed Corona Commission...
"Disasters bring matters to a head""
Helena Hermansson researches collaboration and leadership in crises. She argues that collaboration is often seen as a universal solution in crisis and disaster management but emphasizes the...
A Professor of War Studies who likes peace
What does warfare in the future look like from a Swedish perspective? And what role will artificial intelligence and new technologies play for the work of the armed forces? These are some of...
The law continues to fascinate him
Jann Kleffner's research revolves around various aspects of international operational law, including the law of armed conflict, the law on the use of force in international relations and hum...
RESEARCH NEWS
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Julia Zulver appointed as Wallenberg Academy Fellow at the Swedish Defence University29 Nov 2023Julia Zulver has been selected as one of this year's Wallenberg Academy Fellows by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. Her research focuses on how feminist activists are mobilizing in...
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Ingrid Kihlander new Adjunct Professor in Innovation Management02 Nov 2023On October 9, Ingrid Kihlander started her position as Adjunct Professor in Innovation Management at the Department of Systems Science for Defence and Security at the Swedish Defence Univers...
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This year's Hugo Raab Prize goes to Maria Gussarsson20 Oct 2023Maria Gussarsson, Associate Professor of Military History, receives the Hugo Raab Award for 2023, the Swedish Defense University's award for scientific work of exceptional quality.