We research what it takes for each of us to experience quality of life and good living conditions, and how society can be transformed in a sustainable direction.
Our overarching interdisciplinary perspective on social and ecological conditions allows us to see the major societal challenges in context: demographic changes, increasing inequality, exclusion in education, work, and social life, pressure on municipal finances and public services, competence needs among professionals, overexploitation of natural resources, and climate change.
At the core lies the concept of sustainability: If we as a society are to solve the challenges we face, we need understanding and knowledge rooted in people’s actual lives, work, and everyday experiences. We can contribute with knowledge that helps answer questions such as: What significance do social and structural conditions have for our upbringing, health, and welfare? And how does our interaction with the environment function, and how can we together create a greener society? We also examine how health, environment, and animal welfare are closely interconnected. What affects one part often has consequences for the others. The World Health Organization calls this “One Health” – a way of understanding health across humans, animals, and nature.
The research group has broad expertise encompassing a range of disciplines, including political science, sociology, pedagogy, special education, child welfare and social work, health sciences, social anthropology, urban and regional planning, economics, and agroecology.
The goal of the knowledge we produce is that it can be applied in practice, policy, and research, both to prevent, improve, and transform.
