International Readers and Docents

The Swedish School of Social Science has established a system of International Readers or docents within its main fields of research and education. The system has been developed since 1995-96 with the aim of attaching outstanding international scholars on a professional level to the School for a renewable three-year period. During the three-year period the International Readers visit the School annually for 3 to 4 weeks to teach, deliver lectures on specialised academic themes, and to participate in research activities within their fields of expertise.

The International Readers also function as experts and contact persons for the Swedish School of Social Science and they are a valuable asset for the students and the academic community of the School, especially for the courses held in English. The Readers divide their time between teaching on the basic B.Sc. degree level and holding postgraduate and research seminars in cooperation with other units of the Helsinki University. The Readers also benefit the adult education programmes.

The aim with the arrangement of International Readers is to develop and maintain research links and joint research activities and cooperation on permanent basis, even after the Reader period has expired, within the topics central to the research and education at the Swedish School of Social Science.

Docent Charles Husband, University of Bradford (UK)

Professor in Social Analysis and Programme Chair of EraM (Ethnicity, Racism and Media), Department of Social and Economic Studies. His special research focus is on ethnic relations and the attitudes of different professions concerning ethnic diversity. Charles Husband has been International Reader at the Swedish School of Social Science 1995-1999. Professor Husband is presently docent at the Swedish School of Social Science. Read more about Professor Husband...

Evert Vedung, Uppsala University, Sweden

Professor of Political Science (esp. housing policy), Institute for Housing Research (Gävle) and Department of Government (Uppsala), Sweden. His research interests are programme evaluation methodology, types of policy instruments, energy politics, political argument and political communication. Evert Vedung has been International Reader at the Swedish School of Social Science 1999-2008. Mr Vedung held his last lecture at the Swedish School of Social Science in October 2008. Read more about Professor Vedung...

Terry Marsden, Cardiff University, Wales (UK)

Professor of Environmental Policy and Planning and Head of the School of City and Regional Planning. He is also co-director of the Economic and Social Research Council’s Research Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society. His special research interests are theoretical and empirical studies in rural development, agro-food studies, sustainable development and planning, policy development and rural governance. Terry Marsden has been International Reader at the Swedish School of Social Science since 2001. Read more about Professor Marsden…

Nigel Hunt, University of Nottingham, UK

Nigel Hunt is Associate Professor in Health Psychology at the Institute of Work Health & Organisations, Faculty of Social Sciences, Law and Education. His expertise includes post-traumatic stress disorder, war trauma, traumatic memory, trauma and coping, health psychology, alopecia. Read more about Dr. Nigel Hunt...