Our researchers in the media, 1 January – 17 March 2026
During the first three months of 2026, news coverage has been dominated by the US attack on Iran. Several researchers in the disciplinary domain have been interviewed in the media about developments in the Middle East, but also about migration policy here in Sweden.
Selection from the media 1 January 2026 – 17 March 2026.
Note that no links to material behind a paywall are provided. Instead, please use Retriever Research at the University Library (see Fact box below).
History and future of Iran
Mohammad Fazlhashemi, Professor at the Department of Theology, has been interviewed about developments in Iran in almost all Swedish media outlets. During the period, he has contributed to a total of 90 articles. Fazlhashemi has also written an article in the “Under strecket” series in Svenska Dagbladet, in which he describes the emergence of the theocratic government in Iran and its consequences.
“Politisk shiaislam kan vara nere för räkning” (“Political Shia Islam could be down for the count”), Under strecket article by Mohammad Fazlhashemi (SvD)
Trump’s first quarter of 2026
Dag Blanck, Professor Emeritus at the Department of English, has contributed to 259 articles during the period. Among other things, he gives his view of the ICE shootings, Trump’s State of the Union address and the military intervention in Iran.
War and casualties
Israel’s military acknowledges that 71,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, figures that agree with data from the Gaza Ministry of Health. Therese Pettersson, project manager at the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, was interviewed by Deutsche Welle and says she is not surprised, as the figures from the Ministry of Health have long been regarded as reliable. Pettersson also appeared in the Sveriges Television news programme Aktuellt to answer the question of whether the US attack on Iran can be classified as a war or not.
The Church and Sami lands
The Church of Sweden has presented a church history report by Urban Claesson, Professor at the Department of Theology. The report investigates whether and if so in what way the Church has taken over Sami lands. Urban Claesson has been interviewed about the report in Radio Sweden’s Sami broadcasting department, Sameradion, and Kyrkans Tidning.
Free trips and corruption
The head of Moderna Museet accepted a free trip to Doha. Olle Lundin, Professor at the Department of Law, has been interviewed about the trip in outlets including ETC. In his view, it is always problematic when a civil servant allows some other party to pay for them. Olle Lundin has also been interviewed in connection with an IT procurement officer in Region Skåne misleading top politicians in Skåne in connection with the procurement of the health care system Millennium.
“Så lurades politikerna att köpa in skandalsystemet Millennium” (“How the politicians were tricked into buying the scandal-mired Millennium system”), interview with Olle Lundin (Helsingborgs Dagblad)
New migration laws
Anna-Sara Lind, Professor at the Department of Law and chair of the Swedish Migration Agency’s Ethics Council, has been interviewed in several media outlets about the expulsion of teenagers. She notes among other things that it is problematic when legislation is enacted too quickly, without giving consultation bodies the time to respond or to study the issues.
The excessively rapid enactment of legislation is also criticised by Professor Rebecca Thorburn Stern and Associate Professor Patrik Bremdal at the Department of Law in an interview in Upsala nya tidning. In the article, they primarily object to the government’s proposal to enable permanent residence permits to be cancelled.
“Migrationsverkets etiska råd efter plötsliga avhoppet: ’Ser risker med ganska mycket’” (“Swedish Migration Agency Ethics Council after sudden resignation: ‘See many risks’”) – interview with Anna-Sara Lind (ETC)
“Experternas larm: ’Sverige är inne på en farlig väg’” (“Experts raise alarm: ‘Sweden on a dangerous path’”), interview with Rebecca Thorburn Stern and Patrik Bremdal (UNT)
Sandra Gunnarsson
Material behind a paywall
Some material in the media is only published for subscribers behind a paywall which is why there are no links to this material above. But as an employee of Uppsala University, you can access the article via Retriever Research in the University Library.
Copy the title of any unlinked article you are interested in and perform a search in Retriever Research using the filter “The headline only”.