Britta Lundgren – författare

The past two decades have seen an increasing emphasis on large and interdisciplinary research configurations such as research networks, and centers of excellence including those in Social Sciences and Humanities research. Little research has been undertaken, however, to understand how these new large research structures that are being called forth by research funders and research/higher education institutions alike function socially, and what the impact of operating within such structures is on those working within, and those working with, them. Past writers have discussed the "intra-agentic" operations of human researchers and the material laboratory environment in its broadest sense. This volume is concerned with the social politics of research collaboration in relation to six key positions: leaders of large research formations, leaders of sub-projects within large collaborations, participant researchers, junior and early career researchers, advisory board members, and those who look in from the outside such as researchers who are un-funded. It explores the mostly unacknowledged but critical aspect of social structures in research, discussing issues such as struggles over leadership styles, the marginalization of researchers working cross-disciplinarily, power hierarchies and intellectual ownership, and the silencing of dissent in research.

The past two decades have seen an increasing emphasis on large and interdisciplinary research configurations such as research networks, and centers of excellence including those in Social Sciences and Humanities research. Little research has been undertaken, however, to understand how these new large research structures that are being called forth by research funders and research/higher education institutions alike function socially, and what the impact of operating within such structures is on those working within, and those working with, them. Past writers have discussed the "intra-agentic" operations of human researchers and the material laboratory environment in its broadest sense. This volume is concerned with the social politics of research collaboration in relation to six key positions: leaders of large research formations, leaders of sub-projects within large collaborations, participant researchers, junior and early career researchers, advisory board members, and those who look in from the outside such as researchers who are un-funded. It explores the mostly unacknowledged but critical aspect of social structures in research, discussing issues such as struggles over leadership styles, the marginalization of researchers working cross-disciplinarily, power hierarchies and intellectual ownership, and the silencing of dissent in research.

Läsandet och kärleken till böcker förenar de fyra författarnas väg genom skolgång och yrkesarbete till en tillhörighet i forskning, undervisning och akademiskt ledarskap. De olika berättelserna har vuxit fram ur ett kollektivt tankearbete utifrån erfarenheter som sammantaget skapat olika böjningsformer av genus, klass och akademiskt livslopp. Varje berättelse är unik, men har sin grund i de nordliga livsomständigheter som författarna delar. Drivkrafter är också längtan, nyfikenhet och kunskapsglädje.  

I våra samtal har akademin ofta fått rumsliga uttryck vi har talat om mellanrum, möjlighetsrum, instängda rum, statusrum eller frihetsrum. Rummet i sin konkreta geografiska form av Norrland/Norden har vi gemensamt det norra Sverige som varit vår start och utgångspunkt.    

Alla fyra författare är professorer vid Umeå universitet: Britta Lundgren, professor emerita i etnologi; Annelie Bränström Öhman, professor i litteraturvetenskap och genusvetenskap med inriktning på humaniora; Ann Öhman, professor i genusvetenskap och sjukgymnastik; Hildur Kalman, professor i socialt arbete och docent i vetenskapsteori.