Presentation
I am a Professor of Intellectual History or History of Ideas with extensive experience in leadership within the university sector.
As an intellectual historian, I am interested in how human ideas and conceptual frameworks have changed over time — and in explaining why. An especially important task for research is not only to provide answers, but also to ask questions, without shying away from their magnitude or their sometimes existential dimensions. Addressing such questions often benefits from collaborating with researchers from diverse backgrounds. I am deeply interested in how historical ideas shape today’s political and societal landscapes, and how humanistic knowledge can help address contemporary global challenges.
*Research areas *
My research focuses in particular on the concept and idea of peace and the various notions that have existed around it in different historical periods. I have also explored cosmopolitanism and ideas of world citizenship in depth. During my years in university leadership, I worked extensively on issues related to academic freedom and the role of universities in both global and local contexts. This has now become a research field of its own for me. I initiated the Collegium for Human Rights, which I currently lead.
My doctoral dissertation (2001, Lund University) examined Immanuel Kant’s Zum ewigen Frieden in context, and Kant — along with his followers and critics — has continued to inspire my academic work.
Academic leadership My experience in academic leadership includes nine years as part of the Vice-Chancellor’s executive management team at Malmö University, first as Dean of the Faculty of Culture and Society and, until 2025, as Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement and Human Rights. I have held appointments in working and expert groups within SUHF (The Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions) and EUA (European University Association), as well as engagements within the IAU (International Association of Universities). As Pro Vice-Chancellor, I was involved in boards and steering groups across various Swedish, European, and international networks. I have also served as research leader and director of research centres at Södertörn University, where I was also Deputy Vice-Chancellor. In addition, I have professional experience outside academia.**
