Fia Cottrell-Sundevall

Fia Cottrell-Sundevall is a University Lecturer and Associate Professor at Stockholm University, working in the Department of Economic History and International Relations. She has established herself as a prominent researcher in Swedish social and economic history with a particular focus on gender, military service, and voting rights.

Her research expertise spans multiple decades of Swedish history, particularly focusing on the intersections of economic status, political rights, and gender relations. She examines how these elements have shaped Swedish society from the late 19th century to the present.

Dr. Cottrell-Sundevall's research interests primarily focus on three interconnected areas: military work (including conscription practices), economic limitations of political rights, and gender division of labor. Her work often challenges conventional narratives about democratic development and gender integration in Sweden, revealing how formal policy changes frequently mask persistent barriers and limitations.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on gender integration in the Swedish military, economic barriers to political participation, and the relationship between consumer culture and patriotism during wartime. Her scholarship employs interdisciplinary approaches drawing from history, political science, and gender studies to provide nuanced analyses of Swedish social development.

Among her notable research projects are 'Plutokratins långa arm' examining economic voting restrictions in Sweden, 'Mellan fritt och ofritt arbete' analyzing labor market relations and the welfare state in Sweden from 1880-2022, and research on conscription, settler colonialism, and discrimination against the Sami people in Sweden.

Dr. Cottrell-Sundevall has received research funding for multiple projects examining the limitations of suffrage even after the so-called 'democratic breakthrough' in Sweden, the integration of women into the Swedish Armed Forces, and consumer culture during World War II. Her work has been supported by institutions including Arbetarrörelsens arkiv och bibliotek (The Labour Movement Archives and Library).

She teaches courses including master's thesis courses in economic history and international relations, a master's course on 'Gendering Global Political Economy: Contemporary and Historical perspectives,' and bachelor's thesis courses in economic history. Her teaching reflects her research interests in gender, political economy, and historical perspectives on contemporary issues.