Eva Bolander

Eva Bolander is a Lecturer at Linköping University with dual appointments in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning (IBL) and the Department of Learning, Aesthetics and Natural Sciences (LEN). Her academic profile centers on the intersection of education, sexuality, and gender studies within school and after-school contexts.

She defended her doctoral thesis 'Risk and affirmation: sexuality and gender in sexual education and sex education on TV' in 2009, which established the foundation for her ongoing research program. Her educational expertise spans teacher training and curriculum development in sensitive educational domains.

Bolander's research focuses on sexuality, relationships and diversity in teaching materials across educational settings. She examines how values and potentially controversial topics—particularly concerning sexuality and ethnicity—are addressed in educational contexts, employing norm-critical and critical intercultural pedagogical approaches. Her work investigates how educational environments can better navigate diversity while maintaining pedagogical integrity.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on sexuality education, teacher identity, and pedagogical approaches to sensitive topics. The 2025 publication in Education and Democracy analyzes changing teacher ideals, while her 2024 handbook contribution advances methodological approaches to discourse analysis in educational research.

• Ethics, values and norms in education
• School and educational systems
• Education and social change
• Sexuality education frameworks

Bolander contributes to the Forum for Gender Studies and Equality and participates in the Didactics in Social Sciences (DISA) research program. Her work through Educational work Norrköping examines practical research related to education across preschools, after-school centers, schools and teacher training environments. She also contributes to international scholarship through works like The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Sexuality Education.