Fields of Research
I do etnographic research in the intersection between migration and local communities with a particular focus on the everyday encounter in Danish rural areas between established local populations and various forms of newcomers, such as refugees, asylum seekers, and relocated state employees
Regional specialization: Denmark, Scandinavia, rural areas, Lolland
Thematic specialization: Migration, refugees, asylum centers and asylum seekers, integration, the welfare state, family, children and youth, domestic routines, local communities, neighborliness, social inclusion and exclusion, the everyday encounter between migrants and local residents in rural Denmark, the national redistribution of government workplaces
Methodological specialization: Anthropology, ethnography, participant observation, qualitative interviews
Social Impact
- Based on published results of my research project on the relocation of state jobs from Copenhagen to Danish rural areas (2019–2022), the Danish political party Danmarksdemokraterne submitted a parliamentary resolution proposal with direct reference to the research project’s main findings and suggestions. The proposal concerns “Resolution Proposal No. B71 – Proposal for a parliamentary resolution to allow relocated state institutions to opt out of using central state procurement and service agreements”, submitted on November 15, 2024, and set for its first reading in the Danish Parliament on February 18, 2025:
https://www.ft.dk/ripdf/samling/20241/beslutningsforslag/b71/20241_b71_som_fremsat.pdf
https://www.ft.dk/samling/20241/beslutningsforslag/B71/index.htm
- Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) highlights and uses my research case (2015-18) on asylum centres and local community neighborliness in Jelling as an example of humanistic research with social impact. Read DFF's leaflet about social impact and about my research, and watch their short documentary on the research case from Jelling:
https://dff.dk/om-fonden/publikationsliste/2017/september/innovation-refleksion-og-sammenhaengskraft/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKDnw1XSuTw
- The Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen, has been using my research as an example of the impact researchers have on society.
Read the leaflet about social impact and about my research case (2015-18) from Jelling - 'The asylum centre as just another institution in the local community':
https://humanities.ku.dk/collaboration/impact/pdf/Impact_cases_august_17.pdf (PDF)
