Gender studies in Lund
Education and research in gender studies at the Department of Sociology, Lund University.
Gender studies is an interdisciplinary subject that fosters curiosity, critical thinking and engagement. With us, you will not only gain knowledge about the world, but also tools to understand and to change it.
The subject of gender studies explores why certain norms and inequalities persist over time, and how individuals and movements have struggled for justice and change. Gender studies will give you the ability to analyse major issues in contemporary society:
- How do economic systems shape people's everyday lives?
- How are ideas about nation, identity and belonging formed?
- Why are questions of gender and sexuality once again at the centre of public debate?
Gender studies is about understanding how power, norms and inequality shape our lives – and how society can be transformed.
We study issues of sex, gender, sexuality, class, ability and racism, and how these intersect with everything from everyday life and relationships to politics, economics and global conflicts.
As a student you will meet knowledgeable teachers who actively contribute to and shape research in gender studies, supported by strong local collaborations and international networks.
Education in gender studies
At the Division of Gender Studies in Lund, you will find a subject characterised by passion, curiosity and a strong commitment to both knowledge production and learning.
Gender Studies builds on experiences and knowledge that have emerged from historical struggles for rights, equality and social change. As a student, you will not only learn about these perspectives and movements, but also have the opportunity to contribute to knowledge development and social change yourself – through placements, project work or your degree project.
The programme provides you with a broad methodological toolkit. You will learn to work both quantitatively and qualitatively, from analysing large datasets and exploring issues related to AI and digitalisation, to studying interviews, documents, images, social media and archival material.
At the same time, you will develop the ability to think analytically, independently and creatively about issues such as power, democracy, violence, exploitation and structural inequality – key skills in a time marked by polarisation, rapid societal change and complex global challenges.
As a student, you will gain an in-depth understanding of how gender and sexuality shape politics, culture, education, working life, legislation and knowledge production, both in Sweden and globally.
You will learn what power is – and how it can be used as a tool for change. You will also explore norms, and how ideas about gender, sexuality, ethnicity and class have evolved over time.
Master's programme in Gender Studies at lu.se
Would you like to study the interplay between gender, class, racialisation and sexuality, and engage with current societal issues from a critical perspective? On Lund University’s main website, you can learn more about the Mater's programme in Gender Studies.
Research
Gender studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines how gender, sexuality, power and inequality shape societies, relationships and people’s living conditions. The subject has been at the forefront of highlighting how norms surrounding gender and sexuality influence politics, the economy, culture, working life, education and knowledge production, and how these norms can be challenged and transformed.
Gender studies has developed key perspectives and concepts such as intersectionality, queer theory and feminist critiques of power and knowledge, as well as anti-racist, postcolonial and decolonial perspectives on global relations, labour and capital. Research in the field shows how gender always interacts with, for example, sexuality, class, racism, disability and migration, and how different forms of inequality are created and reproduced. At the same time, gender studies contributes new ways of understanding care, justice, democracy, the body, identity and social change in a global and changing world.
Read more about our research in gender studies.