Daniel Laven

Daniel Laven is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, Geography, Law and Tourism at Mid Sweden University, based in Östersund. His work bridges human geography, sustainable tourism, and cultural heritage, with a focus on contested landscapes and community development. He teaches across Bachelor, Master, and PhD levels and supervises theses.

Research Interests: Laven's work centers on:

• Management of protected areas and cultural landscapes
• Peacebuilding through heritage tourism in conflict zones (e.g., Israel-Palestine)
• Cultural/creative industries as drivers of regional development
• Local food systems and rural entrepreneurship
• Evaluation methodologies for heritage programs

His publications demonstrate a strong focus on sustainable tourism governance, with recurring themes in cultural heritage revitalization, community-based entrepreneurship in peripheral regions, and policy analysis. Recent work (2020-2024) emphasizes food systems innovation, creative city networks (UNESCO), and gender dynamics in heritage entrepreneurship.

Key Projects:

• Mistra Sport and Outdoors
• Östersund/Sundsvall CCI (Cultural/Creative Industries)
• RETURN (Regenerative Economic Transfers)
• UNESCO Creative Cities Network collaboration (Food City Design)

He coordinates the international Master's program in Food City Design, leveraging Östersund's UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation to advance sustainable food systems education.