The discipline of human geography investigates the interaction between humans, societies, and the environment. Thus, human geography contributes to the social sciences by focusing on how the spatial organisation of different activities and operations affects humans, and conversely, on how human activity generates specific spatial outcomes. The geographers at MIUN conduct research in several topics including: exploring the interface between society and nature; examining and discussing concepts relating to space, place, and scale (the local and the global); and investigating various contemporary societal issues. In recent years, various research projects have included studies on tourism geographies, landscape and resource management, regional development, urban, economic, and political geography, labour, and feminist geographies. In almost all our studies, sustainability is included as an underlying theme. The geography unit within the Institution of Economics, Geography, Law, and Tourism consists of an active research community, whose members collaborate in international and cross-disciplinary research while also teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
Tourism geographies is one of our key areas of specialisation and also one of the key research target areas identified in the ETOUR mission statement as well that of the PhD programme in tourism studies. We currently conduct tourism-related research in the context of mobility and infrastructure; work and workers; nature-based tourism; urban, economic, and political geography; climate change and small businesses; regional development; cultural heritage and rural landscapes, and tourism and peacebuilding. Further, our research in tourism geographies is truly interdisciplinary with particularly strong links to tourism studies, development studies, political economy, political ecology, and evolutionary economics.
Contact person: Dimitri Ioannides
This thematic area involves explorations of the interface between nature and society; planning and management; nature conservation; and governance of natural and cultural heritage. Under this theme, we develop knowledge about how people and communities perceive, conceptualize, manage, and use resources and landscapes, and how different perspectives and perceptions are taken into account in planning and policy. Central to this theme is the multi-functionality of landscapes, and how this forms the basis for contradictory and conflicting discourses, practices, and management in various landscapes.
Contact person: Sandra Wall-Reinius
Research within this area occurs at the intersection of feminist, economic and labour geographies, and includes studies of precarious work, labour mobility and migration. This thematic area involves projects on harassment and threats of violence in the hospitality workplace, and workers in the so-called gig economy and the changing geographies of work, labour-and-life geographies, as well as the transformation of the meanings of ‘workplace’. Further, the intersection of tourism work and workers in the context of sustainability is emerging as a key area of research.
Contact person: Kristina Zampoukos
The goal is that more elderly people can be active in nature for improved quality of life, physical and mental health. We want to increase knowledge about the connection between health, outdoor...
Many cities around the world have experienced tremendous growth in short-term rentals due to Air bnb's growing popularity. But what happens to residential areas, the labor market and local resident...
The project is about NEETS (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), and especially young mothers and the long-term unemployed. The overall aim is to provide policy recommendations.
Mistra Sport & Outdoors is a Swedish research and collaboration programme aiming to generate knowledge and solutions to increase sustainability in sport and outdoor recreation.
The European Tourism Research Institute (ETOUR) at Mid Sweden University, will host the 31st Nordic Symposium on Tourism and Hospitality Research on 19-21 Sep 2023. The symposium will focus on the...
The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationships between the transport system (including all modes of transport and infrastructure) and regional development with a special focus on...
The overall purpose of this project is to contribute to a resilient society through an in-depth and nuanced understanding of the contextual and underlying factors that create, maintain, break down,...
The aim of this project is to stimulate adoption of climate change mitigation solutions in tourism and hospitality sector by identification and experimental testing of innovative sustainable busine...
In this research, we discuss and overview the nature and basic ideas related to enclaves and enclavisation processes in tourism development and tourist consumption.
The project will provide empirically grounded knowledge about gig economy work and workers in Sweden. The overall purpose is to contribute to the development of strategies and policies to facilitat...
Nature experiences are not accessible to everyone. Many older adults and people with disabilities find it difficult to participate in outdoor activities. A research group from ETOUR therefore...
This purpose of this project is to study the cultural and creative industries and how this sector creates opportunities for regional and local development.
The overall purpose of this project is to identify and analyze the strategies employed in order to prevent and deal with sexual and racist harassment and (threats of) violence in the Swedish...
The international project Gastrocert will conduct research into how the development of local gastronomy can help to protect the heritage of regional food systems, and how entrepreneurial culture ca...
The aim of this feasibility study is to investigate the possibilities of establishing the Mid Sweden craft brewing laboratory.
The project will analyze and evaluate methods for the management of sustainable mountain landscapes, taking multiple values, interests and needs into consideration.
What happens after we put out the (forest) fire? Are we prepared for the next one? This project will investigate whether and how crisis preparedness and management, as a policy sector at the local...
The Impact of Temporary Work Agencies on the Politics of Work is a research project funded by the Research Council of Norway under the Welfare, Working Life and Migration programme.
This project focuses on the role of tourism in the highly contested Israeli-Palestinian context.
This was a mobility project to support exchange activities for teaching and research activities in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. This project was funded by the The Swedish Foundation for...
The city of Östersund joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) as a city of gastronomy in 2010. The UCCN is designed to share best practices and lessons learned among member cities in using...
The page was updated 8/30/2022