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Research project #metoo activism in Sweden: Development, consequences, strategies

The #metoo petitions in Sweden describe the structural oppression exercised through sexual harassment and sexual violence that takes place in most professions and contexts.

The purpose of this interdisciplinary research project is to investigate, through a mixed method approach, the development of the #metoo activism in Sweden. The aim is to document the development of the Swedish #metoo activism and compare the consequences for the actors in different sectors. Based on these results, we will use a participatory design methodology to further develop strategies and tools that can strengthen democratic processes and support continued work against sexual harassment and abuse.

Project description

The #metoo movement has made personal, often silenced experiences of sexual harassment and abuse political through quantification and public recognition. The movement has developed globally in closed groups, outside established political movements, and has been publicly discussed in newspapers' leading articles, in talk shows, and in seminars. Trade unions, political parties and authorities have responded with legislative proposals and investigations, and certain individuals have been exposed and in some cases forced to leave their jobs.

The intense media attention for #metoo has been described both as a revolution and as a collapse of democratic institutions, and this directs our focus to some interesting research questions regarding changes in norms and practices:

How did the #metoo-activism in Sweden develop? How is activism described and legitimized in different media?
What are the consequences of #metoo for different sectors? How are activists, journalists, union representatives, and employers affected?
How can we design strategies and tools supporting the participating processes the #metoo activism represents?

In this 4 years long interdisciplinary research project, we will investigate this locally situated and globally connected movement, with a mix methods approach and from different scientific perspectives: Computer and Systems Sciences, Gender Studies, and Media and Communication Studies.