Our Research Environment in Focus: Gender and Politics
The Department of Government hosts several sub-seminars where researchers united by common research interests regularly gather to exchange feedback, collaborate on new projects and invite inspiring guest researchers from their networks to discuss their work. One of the seminars is the Uppsala Gender and Politics Research Group, UPPGAP, consisting of around 20 professors, researchers and PhD students.
During the last UPPGAP seminar, PhD students presented their projects. Here: Hannah Lundgren.
The group researches, among other things, how gender affects political representation, the functioning of political parties, discourses on colonialism, parliamentary dynamics, and issues such as violence and corruption in political contexts. The researchers use a variety of methodologies and operate in diverse geographical contexts, united by a common commitment to understanding the intersections of gender and politics.
Three researchers from the group – Cecilia Josefsson, Michal Grahn and Sandra Håkansson – describe how the research group has grown organically. With increasing research funding and a growing number of PhD students interested in gender and politics, UPPGAP has become a dynamic and active environment.
Cecilia Josefsson, Rebecca Eriksson and Sandra Håkansson at the UPPGAP seminar
Neither Cecilia, Michal nor Sandra knew about the group before they came to Uppsala University. Once there, they were quickly inspired by seminars and discussions with the senior researchers:
I knew I wanted to do something on gender and politics already when I came here as a PhD student and started attending the gender and politics seminar quite early. It was really helpful for me to understand what research is, what topics you can research, and how research is done. I learned so much from going to that seminar in the first year,” says Sandra.
Michal Grahn photo Mikael Wallerstedt
Getting the opportunity to organize a conference on gender and political violence together with other researchers in the group eventually led to Sandra's dissertation topic. Cecilia and Michal describe how the seminars were less frequent and the research group less organized when they were doctoral students themselves, but that it grew organically during their time at the department:
It has really been a natural evolution that UPPGAP has become UPPGAP, there was no one directing it. And now there are a lot of professors and a lot of researchers connected to it,” says Michal.
Karin Carlsson presents her project. She says that UPPGAP is one of the reasons why she wanted to join the Department of Government in Uppsala
The group has also attracted several prominent international visiting scholars, including Mona Lena Krook, Meryl Kenny, Amanda Clayton and Aili M. Tripp. UPPGAP continues to provide a stimulating and welcoming environment for visiting researchers, both for short and longer visits.
When asked if the research group continues to inspire their work, Cecilia, Michal and Sandra respond with an unequivocal “absolutely”. They highlight how everything from comments on articles and project applications to informal conversations in the so-called “gender corridor” leads to new collaborations and project ideas. The ongoing exchange of ideas and feedback helps the group stay at the forefront of their research field and continues to attract researchers and PhD students with similar interests to Uppsala University.