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19 December 2025

Researchers in Sweden’s field of children and youth studies want to play a more active role in public discourse and contribute research based knowledge on topical issues such as lowering the age of criminal responsibility and strengthening democratic participation.

En kvinna står framför en blå dörr. Maria Landqvist
A warm welcome! Cecilia Lindgren, senior associate professor in Child Studies at LiU, was part of the planning group that organised the meeting.

En kvinna i grön tröja med en kopp i handen. Maria Landqvist
Märit Jansson, associate professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), was one of the researchers on the panel discussing the role of child and youth researchers in society.

“There is a clear need for us to unite and act collectively. We observe several political initiatives and societal debates that are reshaping perceptions of childhood and undermining children’s rights. As researchers, we must be part of the conversation and offer knowledge grounded in research.”

This is how Cecilia Lindgren, Rebecka Tiefenbacher and Jonathan Josefsson, researchers at the Department of Child Studies at Linköping University, summarised the outcome of organising the Research network on children and youth’s annual meeting.

Over 50 researchers in children’s and youth studies from ten Swedish universities participated in discussions, workshops and experience sharing during two November days. The meeting focused on key issues and prospective collaborations within the field of child and youth research. Between sessions, serious debate was interspersed with moments of laughter at the TEMA house.

Två kvinnor som står bredvid varandra och skrattar. Maria Landqvist
Anna Sparrman, professor in Child Studies at LiU, and Ylva Ågren, senior lecturer in Child and Youth Studies at the University of Gothenburg, had a good break at the meeting.
Moving forward, the Network plans to:

• Continue developing public engagement in issues such as lowering the age of criminal responsibility, criminal justice policy, education policy, social work, integration and migration.

• Strengthen dialogue with research funding bodies to secure expertise for strategic initiatives, evaluation of grant applications, and research ethics concerning children and young people.

• Continue to develop PhD courses together.

• Maintain regular meetings, with the next scheduled at Malmö University in 2026 and at the University of Gothenburg in 2027.

En man som håller en presentation för en grupp människor. Maria Landqvist
Jonathan Josefsson, associate professor at Linköping University, was one of the speakers at the network meeting for child and youth researchers.

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