Anna-Britt Coe focuses her research on the relationship between activism and everyday life, and is a new professor in Sociology at Karlstad University since March 1st.
“Common for sociological research here at the university is the focus on everyday life, which is unique in Sweden,” says Anna-Britt Coe.
Anna-Britt Coe is a professor of Sociology and researches the relationship between activism and everyday life, demonstrating how these two are more integrated than we previously understood.
“Activism is often perceived as unusual and exceptional, unlike everyday life which is common and ordinary,” says Anna-Britt Coe. “My research shows that this is not the case, and that everyday life is intertwined with activism in various ways. If we only view activism separately from everyday life, we miss certain forms of activism and certain ways in which everyday life contributes to or hinders activism. Particularly important are power relations based on gender, age, and ethnicity which are often maintained through everyday life.
She hopes that her research will contribute to increased interest and a broader and more complex understanding of activism and gender power hierarchies within activism.
“I believe that my research can be important for many actors, not least those who want to encourage more engagement among our population such as political parties, civic associations, and trade unions,” says Anna-Britt Coe.
Sociological Perspectives on Contemporary Crises
She recently participated in the biannual conference ‘Sociologidagarna’ in Gothenburg to present and discuss her current research together with five colleagues from the sociology department.
“I presented a new theoretical framework focusing on how gender power structures are reproduced or challenged within and through activism, exemplified by research on activism in Sweden,” says Anna-Britt Coe. “There is a lot of exciting research on political behavior and social movements in Sweden. However, there is a lack of research prioritizing everyday life and gender power structures within activism, which is worrying.”
Currently, Anna-Britt Coe is developing a new research idea focusing on feminist organisations in Peru that have long sought political changes from state actors.
“I want to investigate how they have built relationships with other public actors beyond the state, such as the medical profession, and what consequences this relationship-building has had for achieving political changes. In addition, I will collect qualitative data on the experience of stigma and self-care among people with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).”
Anna-Britt Coe already feels at home in sociological research at Karlstad University, especially within activism and resistance, but also within everyday life and age sociology, as she has previously researched the engagement of young adults and interactions between different generations of feminist activists.
“As a new professor, I hope to contribute to strengthening existing research with my knowledge of social movements, activism and political behavior. I also hope to support colleagues who are at the beginning of their research careers, and to contribute within education with my experience as a teacher.”
Anna-Britt Coe most recently comes from Umeå University where she has been active throughout her academic career. She obtained her PhD in Sociology in 2010, and has since been active in three different institutions: gender studies, global health, and sociology, as well as serving as an assistant head of the sociology department.
