Erika Willander

Erika Willander is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Umeå University. Her research focuses on religious change, secularization, and social consequences of mainstream religiosity. She holds a Docent qualification and has been affiliated with the Sociology of Religion research group.

Her work examines topics such as Muslim communities in Sweden, digital religious practices, chaplaincy during crises, and post-religious identities. Notable projects include studies on secularization among post-Muslims and post-Christians, the role of social media in religious expression, and pandemic responses in healthcare chaplaincy.

Her publications span peer-reviewed journals like Information, Communication and Society, Sociologisk forskning, and Numer, as well as edited volumes and agency reports. She collaborates frequently with Göran Larsson and David Thurfjell on interdisciplinary projects analyzing religious demographics and societal integration.

Willander's research often combines quantitative analysis with qualitative insights, addressing contemporary challenges of religious pluralism and secularization theory in Nordic contexts. Her work bridges sociology of religion, digital culture studies, and public policy analysis.