Gender and violence in the Nordic countries
a research programme 2000 - 2004

Issues related to gender and violence are today clearly present both on the political and research agendas in the Nordic countries. In several countries reform measures have been initiated, which aim for changes in law, in protection, preventative and treatment programmes, as well as stimulating debate. Research on gender and violence is current and/or has been initiated in most of the Nordic countries and has in some cases also developed into international co-operation. However so far, the Nordic possibilities for co-ordination of research on gender and violence have not been sufficient. The research has mainly been conducted by single researchers in shorter projects, or in rather small research communities, which impedes continuity and limits the possibilities for co-operation. Furthermore, this form of isolation places a burden on the researchers. Therefore an overarching and co-ordinating Nordic research programme is needed.

The Nordic Council of Ministers have decided to initiate a five year research programme on gender and violence, for the period 2000 - 2004. A steering committee appointed by the Nordic Council of Ministers is responsible for the programme, which is administered by the Nordic Research Training Academy (NorFA). On behalf of the steering committee, NorFA now issues a call for co-operation projects on research and research training within the following four prioritised areas:

1.             Power, violence, sexuality and victimization as a gender specific process;

2.                Parenthood, gender and violence: parenthood as a gendered social institution;

3.                Masculinity and violence as mutually constituting one another and cultural definitions of sexuality which privilege men's and subordinate women's sexuality;

4.                The implications of "culture" and "cultures" for the link between gender and violence.

For further details, see the programme description with the guidelines and application forms at NorFA's homepage www.norfa.no.

The aim of the programme is to connect small and dispersed research communities in the Nordic countries and to support Nordic development of the sphere of competence and research training.

The programme supports network co-operation on research and research training, where among other things Ph.D. grants, postdoctoral grants, research training courses, seminars and workshops can be included. To be considered, the network co-ordinator must come from a Nordic country and the network must have participants from several Nordic countries. The research groups can include participants from the Baltic states and Northwest Russia, and other European countries.

The Nordic Council of Ministers have for the period 2000 - 2001 agreed to institute a total sum of 3,57 MDKK annually for the programme. The programme committee expects to support 6-8 projects in this first call. Funding will take the form of two year framework grants, with the possibility of applying for an extension.

Application deadline: 2 October 2000 (Postmarked Date).

Further information can be obtained from NorFA's homepage ( www.norfa.no  ),
programme co-ordinator Maria Eriksson, Department of Sociology, Uppsala
University, tel. +46 18 471 34 55, 
e-mail: maria.eriksson(AT)soc.uu.se ; or
advisor Morten Bennum, NorFA, (from 1/9/00) tel. + 47 22 82 86 20, 
e-mail:
morten.bennum(AT)norfa.no 
 (until 31/8/00: tel. +45 33 92 97 70, e-mail: mbe(AT)fsk.dk ).

_____________________________________________________________

Maria Eriksson                           Postal Address:      Telephone:

Ph. D Candidate                   Box 821              +46 18 471 34 55

Uppsala University              751 08 Uppsala       Telefax:

Dept. of Sociology              Sweden               +46 18 471 11 70

            E-mail: Maria.Eriksson(AT)soc.uu.se