Maria Jansson

Maria Jansson is a Professor of Gender Studies at Örebro University, affiliated with the School of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences and the Department of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences. She holds a dual role as a researcher and academic, focusing on gender equality, political dynamics, and cultural policies. Her work bridges feminist theory with empirical research, particularly in the areas of public/private boundaries, film industry gender equity, and education.

Educated at Stockholm University, she earned her PhD in Political Science in 2001 with a thesis on motherhood and labor. She has held positions at Stockholm University and Örebro University, advancing to full professorship in 2020. Her research explores intersections of politics, culture, and gender, with a focus on how policies shape societal structures.

Key projects include the Digiscreens initiative (EU-funded), examining digital streaming platforms' impact on democracy, and the Women in Swedish Film project, analyzing gender equality efforts in the film industry. She also investigates pedagogical methods, such as memory work, to enhance critical citizenship education.

Her publications span journals like Women's Studies International Forum and Journal of Scandinavian Cinema, addressing topics from queer online labor to HIV/AIDS policy narratives. She collaborates internationally and leads interdisciplinary teams across Scandinavia and Europe.

Jansson’s work emphasizes activism’s role in policy change and challenges systemic inequalities. Her lab, the Center for Feminist Social Studies, fosters collaborative research addressing contemporary gender issues.