Søren Tollestrup Askegaard

Søren Tollestrup Askegaard is a Professor at the Department of Business & Management (DBM), Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southern Denmark (SDU). He is the founder and former Head of Research (2001–2008) of the Consumption, Culture and Commerce (CCC) research unit and holds affiliations with the SDU SCC Elite Center PACA, SDU Climate Cluster, and DIAS. He has held part-time professorships at the University of Lille, Aalto University, Lund University, and visiting roles at Suffolk University and UC Irvine.

• PhD in Business & Management
• Founder, BSc in Market & Management Anthropology (2012)
• Co-initiator, European Doctoral School of Consumer Culture Theorizing (2001)
• President, Consumer Culture Theory Consortium (2020–2023)
• Associate Editor, Journal of Consumer Research (2008–2014)

His research critically explores consumer culture as socially embedded practice, focusing on globalization/localization, food and health culture, branding, and the symbolic economy. Current work investigates AI in healthcare consumer behavior and the biosocial dimensions of consumption using complexity theory and biosemiotics. He promotes interdisciplinary and policy-relevant research aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The recent publications reflect a thematic evolution toward digital ethnography, AI in healthcare, and systemic inequalities in consumer culture. Articles span methodological innovation (LLMs in ethnography), clinical AI ethics, and critical reflections on value hierarchies in consumer research.

• Fyens Stiftstidendes Forskningspris (2017)
• Best Special Session Award, CCT Conference (2016)
• Ridder af Dannebrog (2013)
• Chevalier de l'ordre national du mérite (2011)
• Dansk Erhvervsforsknings Akademi Forskningspris (2008)

Askegaard has supervised students and led major research projects such as SCC Elite Center PACA, Green Transition of Danish Healthcare, and interdisciplinary initiatives like GODT, VIND, and HumanFIT, focusing on AI, elderly care, and sustainable development. He is deeply involved in international research networks and policy engagement, advocating for consumer culture insights in addressing climate change, poverty, and biodiversity loss. He is currently developing ACCESS – Academy of Consumer Culture Equitability and Sustainability Studies.

He leads the biennial seminar 'Consumption Theory – a Canon of Classics' and contributes to the SDU Lighthouse project on circular economy. His work bridges academic research with public discourse through extensive media engagement and knowledge dissemination.