Sissel Merete Finholt-Pedersen

Sissel Merete Finholt-Pedersen is externally affiliated with the University of Stavanger (UiS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Care and Ethics. She is a postdoctoral researcher on the QUALITECH project, funded by the Research Council of Norway, focusing on care ethics in technology-mediated healthcare. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. from Roskilde University and a theological degree from the Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, with additional studies in psychology from the University of Oslo.

Her research centers on professional identity, relational work, care ethics, and psycho-social analysis. She explores how professionals in care and theology construct their identities through life experiences, societal relations, and institutional contexts. Her interdisciplinary approach draws from qualitative methodologies, psychoanalytic theory, and cultural studies to examine subjective experiences within professional roles.

The analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on ethics in elderly care, digitalization in health services, and infant user participation. Her work frequently investigates how economic rationality, technology, and policy shape care practices and professional self-understanding. She applies depth-hermeneutical and qualitative methods to uncover underlying psychosocial dynamics in professional and caregiving relationships.

Scientific Contributions:

• Active member of the International Research Group for Psycho-Societal Analysis
• Involved in the project Give the children a better start
• Researcher on infant voice and user participation in early life
• Published in journals such as Qualitative Studies, Journal of Psychosocial Studies, and Tidsskrift for kjønnsforskning

She has contributed to advising through collaborative research and presentations within the QUALITECH project. While no formal students are listed, she plays a mentoring role in qualitative research and interdisciplinary ethics. She has not received any explicitly mentioned scientific awards. Her work is supported by research grants from the Research Council of Norway and institutional funding at UiS.

She is involved in the QUALITECH research team and collaborates with scholars across disciplines on topics including professional development, ethical challenges in training, and user participation in vulnerable populations. Her work bridges theology, psychology, nursing, and ethics, contributing to a holistic understanding of care in modern society.