معرفی
Irene Molina is a Professor of Human Geography at Uppsala University, affiliated with both the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research (IBF). Her academic work focuses on the intersection of urban space, power relations, and social inequality, with particular emphasis on racialization, gender, and class dynamics in the Swedish context and beyond.
Professor Molina's educational background spans institutions in both Chile and Sweden:
- PhD in Human Geography, Uppsala University (1997) with dissertation "Stadens rasifiering. Etnisk boendesegregation i folkhemmet." (Racialization of the City. Ethnic Residential Segregation in the Swedish Folkhem)
- Licenciate of Philosophy, Catholic University of Chile, Santiago (1986) with thesis "El Programa de Erradication de Campamentos en la Región Metropolitana de Santiago (1979-1984): Implicancias Socioeconómicas y Espaciales."
- Associate Professor title from Uppsala University (2002)
- Professor title in Human Geography with focus on settlement and built environment from Uppsala University (2011)
Molina's research explores the city as a site of social power relations, with specific focus on racialization and discrimination processes, as well as class, gender and intersectional dynamics. Her work critically examines how urban space is produced through relations of power, particularly how racial hierarchies are constructed and maintained through housing policies, urban planning, and everyday practices. She has made significant contributions to understanding ethnic residential segregation in Sweden, the racialization of suburbs, and the intersection of gender and space in urban environments. Her approach combines critical geography with feminist and postcolonial perspectives to challenge dominant narratives about integration, segregation, and urban development.
Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on housing justice, with increasing attention to intersectional approaches that connect housing struggles with broader social justice movements. Molina's work bridges theoretical innovation with practical engagement, often collaborating with housing activists and organizations fighting for the right to housing. Her research spans multiple scales, from local Swedish contexts to comparative studies with South America, revealing global patterns of urban inequality while remaining attentive to specific historical and cultural contexts.
Throughout her career, Professor Molina has been actively involved in research collaborations addressing housing discrimination, urban segregation, and gender equality in the built environment. She has contributed to numerous reports on housing policy and discrimination, serving as an expert on issues of ethnic discrimination in housing markets. Her work has influenced both academic discourse and policy discussions on urban development and social justice in Sweden.
