Sofia Strid
Professor
Department of Sociology and Work ScienceDeputy Head of Department
Department of Sociology and Work ScienceAbout Sofia Strid
Sofia Strid is Professor of Sociology and Associate Professor (docent) in Gender Studies at the Department of Sociology and Work Science, University of Gothenburg. She's a Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford Brookes University, UK, and Lecturer by Invitation at Belgrade University, Serbia. She is the Deputy Head of Department and the former Director of Research Studies at the Department of Sociology and Work Science, University of Gothenburg. She has previously held positions in Gender Studies, Policy Studies, Political Science, and Sociology in Austria, Belgium, Sweden and the UK. Her research profile is international, multi-disciplinary and collaborative, with a focus on European multi-partner project and collaborations. She has communicated her research results via more than 200 scientific publications, 50 popular science publications, and 150 conference presentations in 30 countries.
Research
Sofia Strid's research interests are oriented towards the social and political sciences and focus on different forms of inequalities, their intersections and consequences thereof in different empirical domains and regimes. Her research has recently primarily focused on: 1) inequalities produced in times of crises (e.g. the financial crisis, covid crisis, climate crisis) and political and social mobilisation to mitigate these; 2) the concept, theory and measurement of violences and their interconnectedness; and 3) obstacles and barriers for the realisation of socially just and gender equal sustainability politics.
Sofia Strid's research has been published in in e.g., Current Sociology, Feminist Theory, Journal of European Social Policy, Journal of Gender Studies, Journal of Sex Research, Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Politics and Governance, Social Politics, Social Problems, Sociologisk Forskning, Sociology, Studies in Higher Education, Theory & Society and Violence Against Women. Her research is funded by the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Institute for Gender Equality, the Swedish Research Council and FORTE.
Current research projects
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VISTA: Violence in sport. From tracking to action (2026-2029). The project builds the first EU-wide cross-national quantitative and qualitative evidence base on gender-based violence in organised sport. VISTA is coordinated by GU, where the research team consists of Sofia Strid (PI), Anne Laure Humbert and Daniel Alsarve. VISTA is funded by EU Horizon Europe with approximately SEK 36 million.
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REFLECT: Researching intersectional equity and fairness in lived experiences and career trajectories (2026-2029) investigates persistent inequalities in European research careers with a focus on marginalised groups, including women, racialised minorities, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, migrants and people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. The project is funded by EU Horizon Europe with approximately SEK 24 million.
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Economic abuse and young adults (2026-2029) investigates how parents and young adults in Sweden experience, frame and deal with economic violence and contributes to theory development of economic violence. The project is led by Sofia Strid and Linnéa Bruno, Stockholm University and funded by the Swedish Research Council with approximately five million SEK.
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Economic abuse and parenting (2026-2029). The project investigates how economic violence is experienced, understood and dealt with at meso- and macro-levels in Sweden. It analyses professionals' understandings and approaches in social child welfare, financial assistance and family law, and continuities and contradictions between these areas in relation to vulnerable people, legislation and policy. The project is led by Linnéa Bruno, Stockholm University, and funded by FORTE with approximately five million SEK.
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GenderSAFE: Advancing the zero-tolerance approach to gender-based violence in higher education and research in the European Research Area (2024-2027). The overall objective of GenderSAFE is to contribute to building safe, inclusive and respectful research and higher education environments, with zero-tolerance to violence. The UGOT team consists of Sofia Strid (PI), Fredrik Bondestam, Anne Laure Humbert, and Sarah Philipson Isaac. GenderSAFE is funded with 2 million euro by EU Horizon Europe
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ST4TE: Strategies for just and equitable transitions in Europe (2024-2027). The project aims to investigate the impact of the green, digital and twin transition on inequalities among individuals and territories on the one hand and, on the other, to explore the way in which existing inequalities affect the transition paths creating cycles of inequalities and slow transition. The UGOT team consists of Sofia Strid (PI), Anna Davidsson, Sebastian Svenberg, Martin Hultman and Christopher Ali Thorén. ST4TE is funded with 3 million euro by EU Horizon Europe.
Previous projects
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SUPPORTER: Securing sports education through innovative and inclusive gender equality plans (2023-2025) aims to advance inclusive gender+ equality within the European Research Area. The UGOT team includes Sofia Strid (PI), Nathalie Wuiame, Karin Grahn and Suzanne Lundvall. SUPPORTER is funded with 1,1 million euro by EU Horizon EuropeACCTING: Advancing behavioural change through an inclusive green deal (EU 2022-2025). UGOT team: Sofia Strid (PI) and Lina Sandström, University of Gothenburg. Funded with 5 million euro by EU Horizon 2020.
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UniSAFE: Gender-based Violence and Institutional Responses: Building a Knowledge-base and Operational Tools to make Universities and Research Organisations Safe (EU, 2021-2024). UGOT team: Sofia Strid (PI), Nicole Ovesen, Fredrik Bondestam, University of Gothenburg. Funded with 3,2 million euro by EU Horizon 2020.
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RESISTIRÉ: Responding to Outbreaks through Co-creative Inclusive Equality Strategies (EU, 2021-2023). UGOT team: Sofia Strid (PI), Alexandra Kent, Måns Lundstedt, University of Gothenburg. Funded with 5,2 million euro by the EU H2020.
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Women's Safety during and beyond Covid (2021-2022). Funded by Roks.
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Violence Regimes: Theorising and Explaining Variations in the Production of Violence in Welfare State Regimes (VR, 2018-2022). PI: Sofia Strid, Örebro University, Sweden. Funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR).
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Between Romance and Sexual Commerce: Sugar Dating and the renegotiation of the boundaries between economy and intimacy (FORTE, 2019-2022). PI: Lena Gunnarsson, Örebro University, Sweden.
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Femicide Across Europe (EU, 2015-2022), PI: Shalva Veil, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Funded by the European Commission H2020.
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Feminist Theories of Intersectionality, Transversal Dialogues and New Synergies (VR, 2012-2018). PI: Nina Lykke, Linköping University, Sweden. Funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR).
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FATIMA: Preventing honour related violence by education and dialogue through immigrant NGO:s (2015-2018). PI: Yevgenia Averhead, Uppsala University, Sweden. Funded by the European Commission H2020.
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Gender Based Violence in Sports (2015-2016). PI: Lut Mergaert, Yellow Window, Belgium. Funded by the European Commission.
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Female Genital Mutilation: Girls at Risk in the EU (2014). PI: Lut Mergaert, Yellow Window, Belgium. Funded by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
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Rape and Sexual Violence in Conflict and Post-Conflict Zones (2014-2015). PI: Sylvia Walby, Lancaster University, UK. Funded by the European Parliament.
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Worldwide Best Practices for Rape Prevention and for Assisting Women Victims of Rape (2013-2014). PI: Sylvia Walby, Lancaster University, UK. Funded by the European Parliament.
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The Strength of Feminist Civil Society Organisations in the EU27 (2010-2013). PI: Sofia Strid, Lancaster University, UK. Funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR), Sweden.
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Physical and Legal Security and the Criminal Justice System (2009-2011). PI: Sylvia Walby, Lancaster University, UK. Funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, UK.
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QUING: The Quality of Gender + Equality Policy (2006-2011). PI: Mieke Verloo, Radboud University, the Netherlands. Funded by the European Commission 6th Framework.
Teaching
Sofia Strid has designed and delivered courses related to her research interests, and lectures and supervises on all academic levels and in many disciplines, including Gender Studies, Law, Media and Communication, Political Science, Sociology, Social Work and the Teacher Education Programmes. She also develops and delivers workshops on gender equality, gender mainstreaming and gender-based violence for university staff, practitioners, and policymakers. She currently supervises three PhD candidates in Sociology and Gender Studies.
Collaborations and service
Sofia Strid is active in well-established European wide networks and collaborations. She is the previous Chair of the Nordic Association for Feminist Research and Gender Studies, NORA; the Chair of SO9: Gender-Based Violence Section of the ECPG of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR); a member of the EU COST Action on Femicide; and the European Representative in the International Sociological Association (ISA) RC32: Women and Society.
Sofia Strid serves as Deputy Head of Department with responsibility for internationalisation, work environment, including gender+ equality and equal opportunities, and sustainability. She has previously served as Director of Research Studies in the Department for Sociology and Work Science, and as Head of Undergraduate Studies, member of the Faculty Board for Humanities and Social Sciences, and the representative in the Regional Administrative County's Resource Group on Violence against Women, at Örebro University. She's was an organising member of the annual National Gender Dialogue with gender researchers and Members of Parliament, and a founding member of the Regional Gender Dialogue with gender researchers and practitioners working with gender issues.