The Centre for Sexology and Sexuality Studies carries out multidisciplinary research on sexuality from social science, humanistic, medical and clinical perspectives. Our aim is to develop and stimulate faculty-wide research in sexology and sexuality studies, and also to strengthen national and international research collaboration within the field.

Our vision is to shed light on issues of sexuality in an integrated way. Our research center has an important role to play – sexuality is an ever-current issue.

Charlotta Holmström, Director

News articles

Seminar, 16 December

Licentiate seminar – Anna Hart

News

Navigating between parallel normative systems

News

Sex education in Swedish schools is potentially problematic

Our research

The centre was established with the intention of further strengthening the University's position as a focal point for national and international research, in parallel with educational and professional development in the field of sexuality. Our research focusses on structural frameworks, institutional contexts, and individual experiences, comprising three main themes:

Sexuality, norms and politics

The research theme highlights how different forms of societal interventions and legal measures produce and reproduce ideas about sexuality, gender, and relationships. Research related to this theme examines, for example, how sex education takes shape, LGBTQ+ experiences in relation to legislation on migration, and various perspectives on the criminalization of the purchase of sex.

Total hits: 5

Sexual and reproductive health, intervention, and prevention

In this area, researchers examine different forms of societal interventions to prevent sexual and reproductive ill health and sexual vulnerability. Projects within this theme investigate, for example, how social care and school healthcare address sexual and reproductive health and rights, young adults' knowledge of sexual practices in relation to antibiotic resistance, and sexual rehabilitation after acquired brain injury.

Total hits: 8

Sexual experiences and practices

The theme highlights sexual experiences and practices at a relational and individual level. Themes covered include, for example, infidelity, female genital cutting, involuntary childlessness, men's experiences of sexual violence, living with inflammatory bowel disease, and sexual consent in digital communication.

Total hits: 7

Publications

Research highlights

flowers

In February, Ylva Grönvall defended her dissertation about the purchase of sex. It is based on interviews with men who buy sex and with social practitioners working with people who have bought sex. Congratulations!

Konstnärlig bild på nacke

Charlotta Carlström has conducted an extensive fieldwork on BDSM culture in Sweden and reflects on her observations, focusing on own emotions, participation, and ethical challenges.

Camilla Palm.

On April 19, CSS PhD student Camilla Palm defended her dissertation on female genital mutilation/cutting and tensions between different cultural values ​​and perceptions of the body, health and sexuality. Congratulations!

Doctoral course: Sexuality and sexual health in the 21st century

The course is aimed to assist doctoral students in the (multidisciplinary) field of sexuality, research, and sexual health in finalizing their dissertation work/research and preparing them for future research/academic careers. 

Course description and more info

 

Researchers at CSS

Total hits: 33

Sofia Hammarström

Development manager at Knowledge Centre for Sexual Health within Region Västra Götaland, Sweden. PhD from Linköping University within the field young people at risk of sexual ill-health.

Contact Knowledge Centre for Sexual Health

Linda Jolof and Patricia Rocca
Linda Jolof and Patricia Rocca work at The Swedish Red Cross Treating Center in Malmö, Sweden. Linda is an authorized psychologist and Patricia is an authorised physiotherapist. Part of the collaboration is also Anette Carnemalm, manager at the Swedish Red Cross Treating Center in Malmö.

Contact The Swedish Red Cross Treating Center in Malmö

Layla Khairallah
Social worker with a Master's degree in Sexology. Layla is a doctoral student at Mälardalen University, Sweden. Her work is about socially corrosive behaviour (Swe. socialt nedbrytande beteende) among youths in the meaning of 3 § LVU, which she analyses using gender theories, also focusing on sexuality.

Contact Layla Khairallah

Theodor Mejías Nihlén
Lic. psychologist and sexologist and PhD student at the Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning (IBL), Linköping University, Sweden. Theodor's research is about minority stress and minority joy in transgender people. The research is part of the research group Queer psychology in Sweden.

Contact Theodor Mejías Nihlén

Linda Åkeflo

Researcher at the Department of Care Science and Health, University of Gothenburg. Linda wrote her thesis on radiotherapy and sexual health effects among female pelvic cancer survivors.

Contact Linda Åkeflo

Our centre regularly welcomes visiting scholars, from professors to doctoral students, whose research interests align with the centre's activities. To apply, send a CV, information about previous experience, funding, motivation and a research description to Charlotta Holmström.

Organisation

Advisory Board

Advisory Board

Chair

Mariah Larsson, Professor, Department of Film and Literature, Linnaeus University

Members

  • Barbro Lennér-Axelsson, Psychologist, International Planned Parenthood Federation, and Senior Lecturer, University of Gothenburg
  • Carina Listerborn, Professor in Urban Planning, Department of Urban Studies, Malmö University
  • Karin Örmon, Associate Professor, Department of Care Science, Malmö University
  • Katarina Görts Öberg, Doctor of Medicine and Psychologist, ANOVA, and Head of Unit for Sexual Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital
  • Niclas Olsson, Development Secretary, Sexual Health, Malmö city
  • Niels Ulrich Sörensen, Associate Professor and Deputy Manager at The Danish Centre for Youth Research (CeFU), Aalborg University, Denmark
  • Suzann Larsdotter, Social worker and Sexologist, Sexualbyrån Suzann Larsdotter

Senior Research Group

  • Ann-Cathrine Bramhagen, Associate Professor, Department of Care Science, Malmö University
  • Bodil Liljefors-Persson, Professor, Department of Society, Culture and Identity, Malmö University
  • Catrine Andersson, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Malmö University
  • Charlotta Carlström, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Malmö University
  • Charlotta Holmström, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Malmö University
  • Eva Elmerstig, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Malmö University
  • Mats Lundström, Associate Professor, Department of Natural Science, Malmö University
  • Vedrana Vejzovic, Associate Professor, Department of Care Science, Malmö University
Abstrakt illustration.

This network brings together doctoral students and early career researchers with research interests in sexology and sexuality studies. It is a national and interdisciplinary network coordinated within the centre.

Enhörning vid Gustav Adolfs torg

The Nordic Network for LGBTQ+ Research on Health and Living Conditions. The network brings together Nordic LGBTQ+ research focusing on health and living conditions in a broad sense.

Visit us at Niagara

Nordenskiöldsgatan 1, Malmö

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