Emma Ricknell

During 2023-2024 I have a postdoc position within the knowledge environment A Questioned Democracy (En ifrågasatt demokrati).

My dissertation, which I defended in 2021, focuses on the death penalty in the U.S., with emphasis on legislative developments over time at state level. I also do research on online communities and social media. I am part of the research environment Linnaeus University Research Group on Political Behavior, Opinion and Parties (LNU-POP).

During 2016 I worked as a part-time research assistant on the project Decreased ideological polarization and conflict in Western Europe? (MIPOK), which is a collaboration between Linnaeus University and the University of Gothenburg, financed by the Swedish Research Council.

I have a master's degree in Political Science from the University of Gothenburg and master's degree in Peace Studies from the University of Bradford, UK. I also have a degree in Journalism from the University of Gothenburg, as well as a degree in Peace- and Conflict Studies from my alma mater, Umeå University.

Before embarking on my PhD studies, I worked as a paralegal at the Habeas Corpus Resource Center in San Francisco, serving indigent men and women under sentence of death in California.

Awards

Selected for the 2019 inaugural class of Tom Carsey Scholars by the APSA State Politics and Policy Conference held at the University of Maryland.
Winner of best paper award in Swedish political science journal Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift 2019
Named Teacher of the Year by the Linnaeus University student union 2021

Teaching

I have for example taught on the following courses:

Politiska idéer (Statsvetenskap I)
Svensk och jämförande politik (Statsvetenskap I)
Internationell politik (Statsvetenskap I)
Political Analysis (Statsvetenskap III)
International Human Rights Law
Human Rights in Historical, Philosophical and Theoretical Perspective
European Human Rights Law
The Law of Sustainable Development
Sustainability and Multilevel Governance
International Law
Oral Presentation Skills

My research groups

Linnaeus University Research Group on Political Behavior, Opinion and Parties (LNU-POP) LNU-POP is a network of researchers who analyze political behavior, opinions, parties, participation, elections,…

My ongoing research projects

Project: Alternative Media Logic Alternative Media Logic examines the appeal and impact of alternative media on the Swedish media landscape and the conditions of democratic discourse. "Media logic"…

Publications

Article in journal (Refereed)

Martinsson, J., Ricknell, E. (2024). From Laughter to Learning : Teaching Methods through Engaging Narrative Workshops. Journal of Political Science Education. 1-13.
Status: Epub ahead of print
Ricknell, E. (2023). Dynamic rare decisions: gubernatorial vetoes and the death penalty, 1999–2018. Journal of Legislative Studies. 29 (1). 189-211.
Status: Published
Ricknell, E. (2022). Of Foreign or Domestic Origin? : Swedish media reporting on election interference in connection with the 2022 Swedish general election. Journal of the Scandinavian Society of Korea. (30). 41-74.
Status: Published
Ricknell, E. (2020). Freedom of expression and alternatives for Internet governance : prospects and pitfalls. Media and Communication. 8 (4). 110-120.
Status: Published
Ricknell, E. (2019). “Is Sweden Finally Waking Up?” : Debating the 2018 Swedish National Election on 4chan. Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift. 121 (3). 441-463.
Status: Published

Conference paper (Refereed)

Ezz El Din, M., Önnerfors, A., Ricknell, E. (2023). Twitter campaign against the Swedish social services : Between activism and emotional mobilization. Book of abstracts: Media and Emotional Mobilization.
Ricknell, E. (2019). Transatlantic Ties in Turbulence : the Trump Presidency Test. The Swedish Network for European Studies Spring Conference 2019.
Ricknell, E. (2019). Determinants of gubernatorial vetoes in the context of death penalty legislation. The 51st Annual Northeastern Political Science Association Conference.
Ricknell, E. (2019). Women State Legislators and the Death Penalty in the U.S.. The American Political Science Association State Politics and Policy Conference.
Fransson, S., Ricknell, E. (2017). Unlimited opportunities to resit examinations in higher education : patterns of use and underlying factors. .

Chapter in book (Refereed)

Ricknell, E. (2024). The Media Society : Living up to Democratic Ideals in an Evolving Media Landscape. Problems in Paradise? : Changes and Challenges to Swedish Democracy. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 129-143.
Ricknell, E. (2024). Where the fringe and mainstream meet : Discussions on vaccine hesitancy among public radio listeners on Facebook. Vaccine Hesitancy in the Nordic Countries : Trust and Distrust During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Routledge. 140-154.
Ricknell, E. (2022). Sport society : The role of sport and identity in democratic society. South Africa's democracy at the crossroads. Bingley, UK, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 157-171.
Ricknell, E. (2021). Same Procedure as Last Year? Patterns of Death Penalty Bill Introductions in the Era of Abolition 1999–2018. Studies in Law, Politics, and Society. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 1-26.

Chapter in book (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))

Ricknell, E. (2019). Det parallella livet online : Om nätgemenskap och destruktivitet i det dunkla. Medierna och det offentliga samtalet. Kalmar, Centrum för demokrati, journalistik och medier. 13-19.