Charlotte Silander

Associate professor

Department of Education Faculty of Social Sciences

charlotte.silander@lnu.se

+46 470-70 86 01

I am an Associate Professor of Political Science and work as a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Education. My research interests include issues of democracy, diversity and equality, as well as gender in higher education. Education is one of the cornerstones of a well-functioning democracy and constitutes a central building block in promoting democratic values such as equality, gender equality, and tolerance. It also plays an important role in fostering diversity and inclusion among future members of society.

Keywords: Higher education, research policy, European studies, gender equality in higher education, diversity, academic careers, internationalisation.

I am a member of the research group PEPP (Research on Pedagogical Practices and Professions) and an associate member of LNUC Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies.

Teaching

I teach topics related to gender, diversity, education and democracy and am course director for methods in educational sciences in the Master program for teaching professions at the faculty of education.

Research

My main research interests relate to several fields within education, democracy, and inclusion. In the area of gender and diversity in higher education and academic careers, I have been involved in studies examining how gender equality and diversity are addressed within academia and how different factors affect academic careers. Projects in this area include studies on Gender Equality and Diversity Policies in Nordic Universities and on the intersections between internationalization, gender equality, and ethnic diversity.

I am currently studying academic collegiality and it relation to gender equality.

Another strand of my research focuses on values and anti-oppressive education. This includes research on the role of education in fostering democratic values and equality. Ongoing projects examine how teacher education addresses racism and anti-racist education, the teaching of controversial issues, and teacher education students’ perceptions of internationalization.

http://www.samfunnsforskning.no/core/nordicore/english/work/evaluation-of-gender-equality-policies/

https://bagskol.hypotheses.org/project

Commissions

I work as Academic leader and co-ordinator for one of the thematic arenas of the European university alliance EUniWell. In Arena 2: Social Equality and Wellbeing, which I coordinate, we promote interdisciplinary research across our universities that integrates diverse disciplinary perspectives to address core issues related to well-being. The arena also focuses on advancing a joint educational agenda among our partner universities, incorporating interdisciplinary approaches to well-being and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 5: Gender Equality; and SDG 10: Reduced Inequality.

For mor info: https://www.euniwell.eu/what-we-do/fields-of-action/arena-2-social-equality-and-well-being

I also serve as Director of the Internationalisation Committee at the Faculty of Social Sciences, where I coordinate and support the faculty’s internationalisation activities, including strategic development, collaboration with international partners, and the integration of international perspectives in education and research.

My research groups

My ongoing research projects

My completed research projects

Publications

Book (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))

Lindberg, L., Riis, U., Silander, C. (2005). Akademins olika världar. Högskoleverket.

Doctoral thesis, monograph (Other academic)

Silander, C. (2010). Pyramider och pipelines : Om högskolesystemets påverkan på jämställdhet i högskolan. Doctoral Thesis. Växjö, Linnaeus University Press. 141.

Chapter in book (Refereed)

Silander, D., Silander, C. (2026). Quality Education. South Africa and Agenda 2030 : Critical Perspectives on Delivering Sustainable Democracy and Development. Bingley, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 83-98.
Silander, C. (2025). Utbildningspolitik : kunskap som förutsättning för konkurrenskraft, välfärd och ekonomisk utveckling. Svensk politik och EU : Hur svensk politik har förändrats av medlemskapet i EU. Stockholm, Santérus Förlag. 138162.
Silander, C. (2025). Jämställdhetspolitik – från lika villkor till jämställdhetsintegrering. Svensk politik och EU : Hur svensk politik har förändrats av medlemskapet i EU. Stockholm, Santérus Förlag. 163-186.
Silander, C. (2024). The Educational Society : Challenges of Marketization and Increasing Between-School Variation in Student Performance. Problems in Paradise? : Changes and Challenges to Swedish Democracy. Bingley, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 115-128.
Silander, C. (2022). Educational Society : Education as Prerequisite for Social Cohesion. South Africa's Democracy at the Crossroads. Bingley, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 141-155.
Silander, C., Drange, I., Pietiälä, M., Reizel, L. (2022). Promoting Gender Equality in STEM-oriented universities : Institutional policy measures in Sweden, Finland and Norway. Gender inequalities in tech-driven reseach and innovation : Living the contradiction. Bristol, Bristol University Press. 93-108.
Silander, C. (2020). Agenda 2030 and the EU on Gender Equality. Implementing Sustainable Development Goals in Europe : The Role of Political Entrepreneurship. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 54-78.
Silander, C. (2020). Education Policy. Sweden and the European Union : An assesment of the influence of EU-membership on Eleven Policy Areas in Sweden. Stockholm, Santérus Academic Press Sweden. 132-158.
Silander, C. (2019). Gender equality policy. Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth : Political entrepreneurship for a prosperous Europe. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 185-205.
Silander, D., Silander, C. (2018). State of the Union for a Prosperous Europe. Governance and political entrepreneurship in Europe : promoting growth and welfare in times of crisis. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 271-280.
Silander, D., Silander, C. (2018). The European Commission : the EU as agenda-setter for economic growth and entrepreneurship. Governance and Political Entrepreneurship in Europe : Promoting Growth and Welfare in Times of Crisis. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 57-81.
Silander, C., Berggren, C. (2018). The social efficiency of entrepreneurship education. Governance and political entrepreneurship in Europe : promoting growth and welfare in times of crisis. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 154-179.
Silander, C. (2016). Utbildningspolitik : Europeisering från Bologna till Lissabon. Svensk politik och EU : Hur svensk politik har förändrats av medlemskapet i EU. Stockholm, Santérus Förlag. 123-148.
Silander, D., Silander, C. (2016). Introduction: the political entrepreneur for regional growth and entrepreneurial diversity. Political Entrepreneurship for Regional Growth and Entrepreneurial Diversity : the case of Sweden . Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 3-6.
Silander, D., Silander, C. (2016). Political entrepreneurship : final remarks. Political Entrepreneurship for Regional Growth and Entrepreneurial Diversity : the case of Sweden . Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 189-196.
Silander, C., Berggren, C. (2016). Political Entrepreneurs and Women´s Entrepreneurship. Political Entrepreneurship for Regional Growth and Entrepreneurial Diversity : the case of Sweden . Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 101-123.
Silander, C., Berggren, C. (2015). Politiska entreprenörer och kvinnors företagande. Politiskt entreprenörskap : Den offentliga sektorns sätt att skapa bättre förutsättningar för entreprenörskap lokalt, regionalt och nationellt. Stockholm, Santérus Förlag. 71-90.
Silander, D., Silander, C. (2015). Den politiska entreprenören: en introduktion. Politiskt entreprenörskap : Den offentliga sektorns sätt att skapa bättre förutsättningar för entreprenörskap lokalt, regional och nationellt. Stockholm, Santérus Förlag. 7-16.
Silander, C., Silander, D. (2015). Politiska entreprenörer: avslutande reflektioner. Politiskt entreprenörskap : Den offentliga sektorns sätt att skapa bättre förutsättningar för entreprenörskap lokalt, regional och nationellt. Stockholm, Santérus Förlag. 153-158.
Silander, C. (2012). Kvantitativ kartläggning av könsbalans vid utbildningsvetenskapliga och naturvetenskapliga fakulteten vid Göteborgs universitet. Jämställda fakulteter? : En studie av arbetsfördelning och normer hos lärare och forskare vid två fakulteter vid Göteborgs universitet. Göteborg, Göteborgs universitet. 16-53.
Silander, D., Wallin, C. (2005). Being a Swede in a Transforming European Setting : The Structures of an Emerging Swedish Supra-National Identity in the 21st Century. The Changing Face of European Identity. London, Routledge.
Silander, D., Wallin, C., Bryder, T. (2004). Reflektioner över det svenska EU-medlemsskapet. Svensk politik och den Europeiska unionen. Malmö, Liber. 215-222.

Chapter in book (Other academic)

Silander, C. (2012). Exit från akademin? : Män och kvinnors karriärer efter disputation. Kvalitet och kollegialitet : Vänbok till Leif Lindberg. Växjö, Institutionen för pedagogik, psykologi och idrottsvetenskaper. 73-91.

Conference paper (Refereed)

Silander, C., Drange, I., Pietiälä, M., Reizel, L. (2023). Advancing women's representation in top academic positions – the influence of institutional measures. BMC Proceedings, volume 17: Abstracts from the International Conference Diversity Interventions 2022.
Lindberg, L., Haake, U., Silander, C., Riis, U. (2019). Nordic Research on Gender Equality among staff in Higher Education : A litterature review. .
Brodin, E., Silander, C., Lindberg, L., Frick, L., Mckenna, S. (2018). Issues on innovation, societal collaboration, and gender in doctoral education : Their historical appearances and relationships in Sweden and South Africa. .
Silander, C., Stigmar, M. (2018). Negotiating a crowded curriculum : a stakeholder perspective on the content of higher education development courses. .
Brodin, E., Silander, C., Lindberg, L., Frick, L., Mckenna, S. (2018). Innovation, collaboration, and gender in national policies and guidelines on doctoral education : Shapes from Sweden and South Africa in the 21st century. .
Silander, C., Reizel, L., Pietiälä, M., Drange, I. (2018). National Frameworks for Gender Equality in Nordic Higher Education. .
Silander, C., Berggren, C. (2017). A career asself-employed? Entrepreneurshipeducation for women ? Transitions, career learning and career managementskills. .
Silander, C., Bergren, C. (2017). Entrepreneurship in Higher Education. Uddevalla Symposium2017 : Special Session: Governance and Political Entrepreneurship in Europe´s Economic Crisis.
Silander, C., Haake, U. (2017). The re-modeling of Higher Education – the introduction of performance based research funding at new universities and university colleges in Sweden. .
Silander, C., Riis, U., Lindberg, L. (2017). Nordic research on gendered academic careers – a literature review. .
Bergren, C., Salminen Karlsson, M., Silander, C., Peterson, H., Morley, L. (2017). Equity in the neoliberalised Swedish university?. .
Silander, C., Berggren, C. (2017). The Social Efficiency ofEntrepreneurship Education. .
Silander, C., Stigmar, M. (2016). Motiv, mål och upplevda resultat avseende svensk högskolepedagogisk utbildning : [Motives, Goals and Perceived Outcomes of Higher Education Teacher Training Courses in Sweden]. NU 2016, Malmö, 15-17 juni, 2016.
Silander, C., Stigmar, M. (2016). Motives, Goals and Perceived Outcome of Higher Education Teacher Training Courses in Sweden. International Consortium of Educational Development (ICED), 2016 Conference, Ethics, Care and Quality in Educational Development, Cape Town, 22-25 November, 2016..
Virtanen, T., Silander, C., Pietilä, M. (2014). National steering and profiling of academic research in Finland and Sweden. Higher Education and Research in Academe : Who should pay?. 29-40.
Silander, C. (2013). Content and practice of Academic work : A gender perspective on the academic career. .
Virtanen, T., Silander, C., Pietilä, M. (2012). University Profiling and Adaptation Strategies. Nordic Conference on Higher Education and Research. Academic work in a Recession - who should pay? 9-10th February 2012, Hanasaari, Finland.
Lindberg, L., Riis, U., Silander, C. (2009). Gender Equality and the Academy:When Desire and Choice Face Hindrance, Opportunities and Resistance. .
Silander, C., Riis, U., Lindberg, L., Haake, U. (2009). Gender Equality and the Academy: Facts or False Assuptions?. ECER 2009, Vienna September 28-30: Theory and Evidence in European Educational Research.
Riis, U., Haake, U., Lindberg, L., Silander, C. (2008). Gender Equality and the Academy: When Desires and Choice Face Hinderance, Opportunities and Resistance: A Position Paper. ECER 2008, From Teaching to Learning?.
Silander, D., Wallin, C. (2004). Transatlantic Studies : Democracy and Culture in the Transatlantic World. Democracy and Culture in the Transatlantic World. 15-19.
Silander, D., Wallin, C. (2002). Discovering Traits of Swedish Identity : a research design to explore young peoples (supra)national perceptions - Statsvetenskapliga förbundets årskonferens, oktober, Växjö, Sverige.

Conference paper (Other academic)

Silander, C., Björn Milrad, M. (2014). Evidences learning online. NGL 2014, Next Generation Learning Conference, Falun, Dalarna University, March 19-20, 2014.

Conference paper (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))

Evertsson, H., Gunnarsson, T., Silander, C. (2014). Skrivguiden.se - en resurs för studenters akademiska skrivande. .
Lindberg, L., Riis, U., Silander, C. (2005). Gender Inequality in Swedish Higher Education. Fourth European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education 2005.

Licentiate thesis, monograph (Other academic) (Other academic)

Silander, C. (2005). Högskolesystemet och könsbalansen - en studie om jämställdhet i den svenska högskolan. Licentiate Thesis. Växjö, Institutionen för samhällsvetenskap.

Conference proceedings (editor) (Refereed)

Silander, C. (2015). Proceedings of Lärarlärdom: Conference on higher education, Växjö, 19 augusti, 2015. Växjö, Linnaeus University.

Report (Other academic)

Bergmüller-Hauptmann, C., Hansson, K., Lundin, M., Silander, C., Alvunger, D., et al. (2025). Critical Moments in the Classroom : Case Studies for Reflective Teaching. Kalmar, Linnaeus University, Department of Education. 46.
Silander, C., Haake, U., Lindberg, L. (2014). Intern organisation och styrning av forskningens profilering och finansiering : En studie av svenska högskolor och nya universitet. Slutrapport till KK-stiftelsen 2014-03-14. Stockholm, KK-stiftelsen. 63.
Silander, C., Henriksson, M. (2013). Bilder av kvinnors företagande i Kronobergs län : Möjligheter och hinder. Växjö, Linnéuniversitetet. 45.
Silander, C., Virtanen, T., Pietilä, M. (2013). Priority-setting in Research Management : Organisational and Leadership Reactions to Institutional Reforms in Finnish and Swedish Universities.
Silander, D., Silander, C., Bryder, T. (2002). Swedish Identity and the Transformation of Europe. Växjö, Institutionen för samhällsvetenskap, Växjö universitet. 42.

Collection (editor) (Refereed)

Bergnéhr, D., Nilsson, H., Silander, C., Trulsson, Å. (2024). Mångfaldens möten : Interkulturalitet, utbildning och lärande. Växjö, Linnaeus University Press. 271.
Silander, D., Silander, C., Van Der Elst, H., Heydenrych, P. (2022). South Africa's Democracy at the Crossroads. Bingley, UK, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 256.
Karlsson, C., Silander, C., Silander, D. (2018). Governance and political entrepreneurship in Europe : promoting growth and welfare in times of crisis. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing.
Karlsson, C., Silander, C., Silander, D. (2016). Political Entrepreneurship : Regional Growth and Entrepreneurial Diversity in Sweden. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. 204.
Silander, D., Silander, C. (2015). Politiskt entreprenörskap : Den offentliga sektorns sätt att skapa bättre förutsättningar för entreprenörskap lokalt, regionalt och nationellt. Stockholm, Santérus Förlag. 160.
Silander, D., Wallin, C. (2004). Democracy and Culture in the Transatlantic World : Third Interdisciplinary Conference, October 2004 / The Maastricht Center for Transatlantic Studies, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Växjö, Växjö University Press. 305.
Bryder, T., Silander, D., Wallin, C. (2004). Svensk politik och den Europeiska unionen. Malmö, Liber. 224.

Collection (editor) (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))

Silander, C., Källkvist, M., Schenker, K. (2023). Språk, reflektion och vetenskap i lärarutbildningen. Växjö, Institutionen för didaktik och lärares praktik, Linnéuniversitetet. 86.