Daniel Lövgren

Short presentation

As a teacher and researcher in Media and Communication Studies, I have a particular interest in communication and organization, moving between formal/public and alternative organizing in the food system.

Ongoing research: the organizationality of the local food system REKO; strategic communication in Scandinavian universities; the existence of the GI protected bread Upplandskubb, and; an exploration of food system relations through sounds and listening.

Keywords

• organizational communication
• strategic communication
• food system
• public sector
• higher education
• food and communication
• more-than-human relationality
• sound
• listening

Research

Organizing REKO: The Viability of a Local Food System in Finland, Sweden & Latvia (at Södertörn University) (2023-2026)

With: Emma Christensen (Roskilde University), Hanna Leipämaa-Leskinen (Vasa University), and Steffi Siegert (Linneaus University). Project located at Södertörn University, with Daniel Lövgren as the project leader. The purpose of this project is to explore what makes REKO viable in three variously mature contexts in the Baltic Sea Region: Finland, Sweden, and Latvia. For this purpose we adopt the theory of organizationality – a communication based view on how loose social formations achieve degrees of “organization-ness” through interconnected processes of identity, actorhood and decision-making – and theorizing of place.

See more at: organizingreko.com

Strategic Communication and Organizing in the Scandinavian Higher Education Sector: Towards the Promotional University? (2021-2025)

With: Hogne Sataøen (ÖRU) and Simon Neby (UiB). Vetenskapsrådet.

Today, strategic communication is a phenomenon all universities prioritize. Examples are numerous: The creation of social media accounts, use of symbols and values, accentuated interest in international rankings, production of multimodal material, extensive sale of merchandises, and a rapid growth of communication departments. Strategic communication also creates tensions between classical ideals of the university, and ideals related to the “The Promotional University.” The aim of the project is, by means of qualitative research methods, to develop knowledge about the challenges, tensions and pressures shaped by the proliferation of strategic communication in Scandinavian higher education institutions. The project takes its point of departure in the Scandinavian context, and it is structured into three sub-studies: (a) the development of communicational strategies, plans and activities; (b) professional ideals embedded in the production of promotional material; and (c) multimodal content produced by universities. The project will contribute with novel empirical insights about important transformation process in higher education. The project will also employ a comparative, holistic and multiple-case approach, as well as innovatively integrating insights from institutional organization theory and multimodal communication research.

Relationer mellan ljud, mat och plats (2026)

Ett pilotprojekt som utforskar relationer mellan människa, mat och plats genom ljud och lyssnande som konstnärlig forskningsmetod. Tillsammans med konstnär Jenny Sunesson studerar jag mellanrummen – det som ligger mellan system och individ – för att (under)söka nya relationer och närvaro i en tid där kontakten med maten och matens ursprung är försvagad.

Unik ...men levande? En studie av Upplandskubbens organisationalitet (2025)

Detta projekt genomförs under våren 2025 och finansieras av Gastronomiska Stiftelsen. Syftet är att undersöka Upplandskubb som sedan 2014 är en Skyddad UrsprungsBeteckning (SUB), men som samtidigt för en begränsad tillvaro i det offentliga ljuset. Ongoing: 2025.

Gotland som matplats (2025)

Ett pilotprojekt som utforskar idén om Gotland som en inkluderande plats för de människor, varelser och natur som finns på Gotland. Projektet går bortom idén om Gotland som destination, vilken decentrerar besökaren och lyfter aktörer.

Network: Organizing Local Food

An initiative funded by the Centre for Integrated Research on Culture and Society (CIRCUS) during 2023-2024 with the aim to build an interdisciplinary network, including UU scholars from information systems, business studies, sociology, political sciences, human geography, and earth sciences. My role is to develop and lead the network. Check out ours and other UU/CIRCUS networks here. Project ended, but the network will be kept running.