Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist, Professor of Social Work
Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist started her research career in sociology and gender studies at Lund University. She completed her PhD in sociology in 2007 with a doctoral thesis on male bisexuality, as part of the Gender Research School at Umeå University. She has since taught and conducted research in interdisciplinary settings at various universities in Sweden. In 2012, Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist changed track to social work at Umeå University, where she held a lectureship in the subject, followed by a position at Södertörn University, before joining Karlstad University as a senior lecturer in social work in 2024.
“Initially, my research centred on sexual and gender normativity, with a particular focus on bisexuality, but shortly after completing my PhD, my research transitioned into disability research. I have kept one foot in gender and sexuality studies, but now I’m more focused on functional abilities. I became involved in autism research in 2008 and the emerging area of critical autism studies, which emphasised a neurodiversity perspective on autism as opposed to an approach focused on a deficit or a problem or lack of something. I work broadly within what has come to be known as neurodiversity studies, which takes a wider perspective than autism research and also includes conditions such as ADHD.”
As with other research on minority groups, Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist emphasises the importance of interventions and support measures being grounded in the lived experiences of the communities themselves and responding to their actual needs.
“A power perspective is also central – understanding how minority groups, in this case neurodivergent communities, are affected by discrimination and stigma, and how this impacts all areas of life, including increased risk of mental illness and suicide. Over time, my research has gained recognition beyond academia and is now used by both professionals and individuals with lived experience of autism or ADHD.”
Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist believes it is important to stay curious and to always strive towards better research methods. This also includes collaborating with the communities that the research concerns.
“You cannot conduct research with communities without building actual relationships. I would say that trust is fundamental in research involving minority groups. You cannot simply dive into a research area or a certain population; you need to work alongside a community over time.”