Karin Fast, Professor of Media and Communication Studies

"I completed my PhD in media and communication studies in 2012, with a doctoral thesis on the entertainment industry and the exploitation of media consumers. I have since worked as a senior lecturer at Karlstad University, but have also held a project appointment as a researcher at the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo for four years."

Karin Fast prefers to refer to herself as a media sociologist since she has always been interested in the role of media in society, everyday life and social relationships, particularly with reference to class.

"Several of my research projects and publications explore the interplay between media and work. Over the years, I have developed a special interest in the material dimensions of mediatisation, for example, how digital media contribute to new work environments and geographies. In an ongoing project, funded by the Swedish Research Council, my colleagues and I are studying how new urban workplaces – so-called coworking spaces – intertwine with urban changes and gentrification, that is, the social upgrading of districts."

Karin Fast argues that media, norms and power are closely interconnected and that her research can help us understand how everyday media practices – as well as other cultural practices – can challenge or reinforce differences between various social groups.

"My work at the Centre for Geomedia Studies is based on an interdisciplinary approach, drawing significant insights from both human geography and sociology."

In our online, post-digital society, the non-use of digital media has become an increasingly important basis for social distinction and status. My research is characterised by critical perspectives and can in this way serve as a backdrop to, among other things, political and commercial promises, which tend to be marked by techno-optimism. Many societal actors, including employers and tech companies, benefit from understanding the downsides of digitalisation – and the counter reactions.

Karin Fast lives in Karlstad with her husband and children. She enjoys listening to music and would like to learn to play an instrument. She also likes to spend time with family and friends, as well as gardening and travelling.