Eva Lundgren
Encyclopedia
Eva Lundgren is a Norwegian
-born Swedish
feminist scholar
and sociologist
, focusing on violence against women
and religiously motivated violence. She is known for developing the theory of the process of normalization
of violence, according to which, abused women gradually adopt the perspective of their abusers. Lundgren has written several books on violence
, sexuality
and religion
. She held a government
-appointed chair of sociology at Uppsala University
1993–2011, to study "the relation between power and gender in family and society, in particular men's violence against women", and has been a Visiting Professor at several universities, including New York University
.
, she started her career as a model
and studied at the University of Bergen
, where she earned her (6-year) Candidate's degree in Theology in 1978 and her doctoral degree in 1985. She was first employed as a Research Fellow at the University of Bergen, and was appointed an Associate Professor in 1986. She was head of department for the Department of Gender Studies at the University of Bergen 1987-1988, and was found to be competent as a full professor in 1988. In 1989, she was appointed a Docent
(Reader) in Theology at Uppsala University
, relocating to Stockholm
.
In 1993, she was appointed Professor of Sociology at Uppsala University
by the government of Sweden
, to study the "relation between power and gender in family and society, in particular men's violence against women", and was installed as a Professor with a military parade and gave her inaugural lecture on eroticised power in Uppsala Cathedral
. She was a Visiting Professor at New York University
from 1996 to 1997, and has also held visiting professorships at the University of North London
, the University of Bradford
and Åbo Akademi University
. In 2003, Lundgren became head of department for the newly created Department of Gender Studies (Samgenus) at Uppsala University.
governments in the 1990s and early 2000s. One of her supporters is Margareta Winberg
, the former deputy PM and Minister for Gender Equality, who once described Lundgren as "cool". The 1998 Violence Against Women Act (Kvinnofridslagen) is said to be based on Lundgren's research.
in Sweden titled The Gender War
, which was aired in 2005 and which was subsequently found to be biased by the Swedish Broadcasting Commission
, generated debate on Eva Lundgren's work in both Sweden and Norway. This led Uppsala University's rector Bo Sundqvist
to first announce a public debate on Lundgren's research, then cancel the debate and appoint a commission consisting of political scientist Jörgen Hermansson and philosopher Margareta Hallberg to "investigate" Lundgren's research. The inquiry cleared Lundgren of any wrongdoing, although Hermansson and Hallberg were critical of several of Lundgren's conclusions. However, the inquiry and the report were criticized by Uppsala University's chief lawyer Marianne Andersson, who stated that Hallberg and Hermansson's criticism of Lundgren's conclusions was inappropriate and illegal in the context of such a report, and not in their mandate. Lundgren dismissed the criticism. 14 leading researchers in Lundgren's field of study also criticized the "unique" inquiry, stating that Hermansson and Hallberg were not competent to assess Lundgren's research. The university committed itself to restoring Lundgren's reputation, granting her and her research group increased funding in compensation for having subjected her to an unjustified inquiry.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
-born Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
feminist scholar
Feminist Studies
Founded in 1972, Feminist Studies was the first scholarly journal in women’s studies and remains a premier journal in the field. It is currently an independent nonprofit publication housed at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland....
and sociologist
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, focusing on violence against women
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
and religiously motivated violence. She is known for developing the theory of the process of normalization
Normalization (sociology)
Normalization refers to social processes through which ideas and actions come to be seen as "normal" and become taken-for-granted or 'natural' in everyday life. In sociological theory normalization appears in two forms....
of violence, according to which, abused women gradually adopt the perspective of their abusers. Lundgren has written several books on violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
, sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. She held a government
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
-appointed chair of sociology at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
1993–2011, to study "the relation between power and gender in family and society, in particular men's violence against women", and has been a Visiting Professor at several universities, including New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
Career
A native of FlekkefjordFlekkefjord
is a town and municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway.The town of Flekkefjord was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The rural municipalities of Bakke, Gyland, Hidra, and Nes were merged with Flekkefjord on 1 January 1965.Flekkefjord is the westernmost town of the...
, she started her career as a model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and studied at the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
, where she earned her (6-year) Candidate's degree in Theology in 1978 and her doctoral degree in 1985. She was first employed as a Research Fellow at the University of Bergen, and was appointed an Associate Professor in 1986. She was head of department for the Department of Gender Studies at the University of Bergen 1987-1988, and was found to be competent as a full professor in 1988. In 1989, she was appointed a Docent
Docent
Docent is a title at some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks below professor . Docent is also used at some universities generically for a person who has the right to teach...
(Reader) in Theology at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
, relocating to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
In 1993, she was appointed Professor of Sociology at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
by the government of Sweden
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
, to study the "relation between power and gender in family and society, in particular men's violence against women", and was installed as a Professor with a military parade and gave her inaugural lecture on eroticised power in Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral is a cathedral located centrally in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. It dates back to the late 13th century and at a height of 118.7 m is the tallest church building in Scandinavia. Originally built under Roman Catholicism and used for coronations of the Swedish monarch, since the...
. She was a Visiting Professor at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
from 1996 to 1997, and has also held visiting professorships at the University of North London
University of North London
The University of North London was a university in the United Kingdom from 1992 to 2002. On 1 August 2002, it merged with London Guildhall University to form London Metropolitan University. The former University of North London premises now form the new university's north campus, situated on...
, the University of Bradford
University of Bradford
The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
and Åbo Akademi University
Åbo Akademi University
Åbo Akademi University is a Swedish language university in Turku, Finland . , there are 7 941 students and a staff consisting of 1125 people. The university has activities not only in Turku, but also in Vaasa, Jakobstad, Helsinki and on Åland...
. In 2003, Lundgren became head of department for the newly created Department of Gender Studies (Samgenus) at Uppsala University.
Normalisation process
Theoretically, Lundgren has focused on developing the concept of the process of normalisation, a model to explain how battered women gradually break down and accept the violent situation. Lundgren has also argued that men who systematically use sexualised violence against their partner do so in order to consolidate their position of power, rather than to satisfy a sexual desire.Knutby murder
In recent years, Lundgren's research has focused on the Knutby murder. Her 2008 book The Knutby Code, published simultaneously in Swedish and Norwegian, is a critical analysis of the Knutby case.Political influence
Lundgren's research has had considerable influence on public policy in Sweden, particularly under the social democraticSwedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
governments in the 1990s and early 2000s. One of her supporters is Margareta Winberg
Margareta Winberg
Gun Margareta Winberg is a Swedish Social Democratic politician. Winberg held various ministerial posts in the Third cabinet of Ingvar Carlsson and Cabinet of Göran Persson from 1994 to 2003, and was Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden from 2002 to 2003...
, the former deputy PM and Minister for Gender Equality, who once described Lundgren as "cool". The 1998 Violence Against Women Act (Kvinnofridslagen) is said to be based on Lundgren's research.
2005 controversy in the wake of "The Gender War"
A controversial TV documentary on alleged radical feminismRadical feminism
Radical feminism is a current theoretical perspective within feminism that focuses on the theory of patriarchy as a system of power that organizes society into a complex of relationships based on an assumption that "male supremacy" oppresses women...
in Sweden titled The Gender War
The Gender War
The Gender War is a controversial documentary in two parts by journalist Evin Rubar on alleged radical feminism in Sweden and its influence on Swedish politics...
, which was aired in 2005 and which was subsequently found to be biased by the Swedish Broadcasting Commission
Swedish Broadcasting Commission
Granskningsnämnden för radio och TV – English title: The Swedish Broadcasting Commission – was a Swedish government agency formed in 1994 to regulate already broadcasted radio and television in Sweden.-Jurisdiction:...
, generated debate on Eva Lundgren's work in both Sweden and Norway. This led Uppsala University's rector Bo Sundqvist
Bo Sundqvist
Bo Sundqvist is a Swedish physicist and former rector magnificus of Uppsala University.Sundqvist was educated at Uppsala University, where he received his Ph.D. degree in Nuclear Physics. He was appointed professor of Ion physics in 1987, and elected rector magnificus in 1997, a position he left...
to first announce a public debate on Lundgren's research, then cancel the debate and appoint a commission consisting of political scientist Jörgen Hermansson and philosopher Margareta Hallberg to "investigate" Lundgren's research. The inquiry cleared Lundgren of any wrongdoing, although Hermansson and Hallberg were critical of several of Lundgren's conclusions. However, the inquiry and the report were criticized by Uppsala University's chief lawyer Marianne Andersson, who stated that Hallberg and Hermansson's criticism of Lundgren's conclusions was inappropriate and illegal in the context of such a report, and not in their mandate. Lundgren dismissed the criticism. 14 leading researchers in Lundgren's field of study also criticized the "unique" inquiry, stating that Hermansson and Hallberg were not competent to assess Lundgren's research. The university committed itself to restoring Lundgren's reputation, granting her and her research group increased funding in compensation for having subjected her to an unjustified inquiry.
2011 resignation
In 2011, Eva Lundgren resigned from her chair at Uppsala University, stating that she will concentrate on her international career in the future, and criticizing Uppsala University for not doing enough to support her. She had previously criticized the university for not honouring the agreement to restore her reputation. Lundgren is writing a book on what she considers an attack on feminist scholarship in Sweden.Selected publications (in Norwegian or Swedish)
- 2008: . Oslo/Stockholm. ISBN 9788205384729.
- 2001: . Oslo.
- 2001: . Stockholm.
- 1994: . Oslo.
- 1993: . Oslo. (There must be some limits to gender: Violent empiricism and feminist theory)
- 1992: . Stockholm.
- 1990: . Oslo.
- 1987: . Oslo.
- 1985: . Oslo.
- 1985: . Doctoral thesis , Bergen.
- 1984: . Bergen.
- 1982: . Oslo.
- 1981: . Oslo.
Literature
- Eldén, Åsa and Westerstrand, Jenny (eds.), Guts and Glory: Festskrift till Eva Lundgren. Uppsala University, 2007.
External links
- — official information page at Uppsala UniversityUppsala UniversityUppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...