Facts

Contact person:
Sara Johnsdotter
Financer:
  • Forte
Responsible at MaU:
Sara Johnsdotter
Project members at MaU:
External project members:
  • Birgitta Essén – Uppsala universitet
Time frame:
01 January 2025 - 31 December 2027
Faculty/department:
Research environment :
Research subject:

About the project

Our study aims to provide a comprehensive illumination of the role of medical expertise in police investigations of suspected female genital mutilation (FGM) in Sweden and in FGM trials across Western countries. By tracing healthcare professionals from clinics to courtrooms, our primary goal is to gain insights into how medical experts formulate and present their opinions on FGM. We also explore the ethical dilemmas that they may face in these processes. We intend to analyse how medical opinions in the context of FGM are shaped by the broader sociocultural and politico-legal contexts within which they are formulated. With an interdisciplinary approach, our study is conducted at the intersection of medical anthropology, medical law, and clinical medicine. Anchored in social constructionism and discourse analysis, we analyse various empirical materials, including police investigations and court documents, policy papers, news items, and interviews with medical and legal experts. Through qualitative analysis, our goal is to identify patterns, challenges, and opportunities concerning the use of medical expertise in the context of FGM.