Peter Simonsen

Professor Peter Simonsen is affiliated with the University of Southern Denmark's Department for the Study of Culture within the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. He is a member of the CPop Academic Coordination Committee at the Interdisciplinary Centre on Population Dynamics (CPop). His research focuses on representations of aging in literature and cultural texts, the intersection of welfare state policies with aging populations, and the use of literary interventions in healthcare contexts such as dementia care and retirement transitions. He has pioneered initiatives like the CARE intervention and Shared Reading programs to address ethical self-efficacy and mental health in aging populations.

His work bridges literary analysis with social policy, emphasizing the role of cultural products in enhancing elderly well-being. Notable contributions include studies on Scandinavian welfare-state poetry, the ethics of dementia caregiving, and the sociocultural dimensions of retirement. He has published extensively in journals and edited volumes, with a focus on aging narratives, precarity in contemporary literature, and the application of literary theory to healthcare.

Professor Simonsen’s research also explores gendered experiences of aging, particularly male identity in retirement transitions, and the therapeutic potential of poetry and shared reading. His interdisciplinary approach integrates cultural studies, gerontology, and public health to address societal challenges related to aging populations.

His academic contributions include co-editing volumes on Scandinavian literature and welfare-state dynamics, as well as authoring textbooks like Litteratur: Introduktion til teori og analyse. His work is characterized by a commitment to applying humanistic insights to improve quality of life for aging populations through culturally grounded interventions.