Sara Ekström

Sara Ekström is a Postdoc at Stockholm University's Department of Culture and Aesthetics. Her research focuses on the intersection of political governance, emotions, and national identity in 18th-century Sweden. She defended her PhD dissertation, *Governing Through Emotions: Art of Government in Three Gustavian Projects* in 2023, analyzing King Gustav III's initiatives such as the Order of Vasa, National Dress, and Swedish Academy through Michel Foucault's concept of governmentality.

Ekström's work bridges History of Emotions, Governmentality studies, and National Identity formation. She explores how emotions were strategically managed to shape citizen behavior, examining both liberal and traditional governance models coexisting in the Gustavian era. She participates in research groups like the Network for the Study of Emotions and Portal 1700, fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue.

Her publications include analyses of Gustavian political strategies, emotional manipulation in public spectacles, and utopian environmental narratives. While no scientific awards are listed, her research contributes to reinterpreting Sweden's early modern governance and its global Enlightenment contexts.