Swedish Network for Disability Research

The Swedish Network for Disability Research is the leading forum for multidisciplinary collaboration in research and education within the field of disabilities.

The research can focus on individual, group, or societal levels, and the subjects, theories and methods can vary greatly.The network was established in the mid-1990s and currently consists of researchers from most Swedish universities/colleges, totaling 390 members, some of whom represent government organizations, R&D environments, and interest organizations.

The network regularly appoints two representatives to NNDR, the Nordic Network for Disability Research, which organizes Nordic conferences and publishes a journal.The network is coordinated and administered by the Center for Disability Research at Uppsala University, which has been headed by main applicant Therése Fridström Montoya since the fall of 2023.Historically, the network has convened for two meetings per semester.

The hosting of these meetings has rotated among different universities/colleges in Sweden.

The points of contact for the network, in addition to these recurring meetings, include information dissemination via an email list and a website.Within the network, there are working groups that gather around specific networking, research, or methodological issues.Examples of subject areas where members (both senior and junior researchers) are anchored include special education, pedagogy, sociology, social work, community and welfare studies, information technology, public health science, occupational therapy, law, history, psychology and cultural studies.The network contributes to collaborations between subject areas as well as the implementation and dissemination of research results.

Having a platform where senior and junior researchers meet fosters both stability and progression in the field. Currently there are ideas for new forms of collaboration among researchers themselves and with the surrounding society.