TEMA - Department of Thematic Studies

TEMA
- a two-campus institute for education and research

The objective for  TEMA - The Department of Thematic Studies is to pursue excellent research and education at undergraduate and advanced levels relevant to society. The Department aims to provide a major impetus in career development for both future researchers and those who have just entered the field of research. The profile of TEMA since the start has been an interdisciplinary environment, and today there is an emphasis on integrating education and research - to see education and research as interdependent. Important assets for the Department are the extended responsibility for co-workers and the measures brought about to support progress in education and at the same time advance interdisciplinary research.

TEMA is a two-campus Department  with single subjects at undergraduate level as well as centers and research environments. Among the single subjects there are both discipline oriented (Geography) and interdisciplinary oriented ones (Environmental Studies), as well as one professionally oriented subject (Social Work).
TEMA is host to three Centres with interdisciplinary profiles: Centre for Gender Studies, Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research (CSPR) and Centre for People, Technology and Society (CMTS = Centrum för Människa, Teknik och Samhälle)
At TEMA there are four research areas called Themes (in Swedish teman): Child Studies, Gender Studies, Technology and Social Change and Water and Environmental Studies. At the Department there is also PhD-programmes in Communication Studies and Food Studies.

Both single disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary fields are represented in these areas (Themes), which thus are characterized by heterogeneity within the field concerned. At the same time they share the focus indicated by the name of the area (Tema) - problem-oriented field being undertaken with the support of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary methods. In each area (Theme) teaching and research groups have their own cooperation partners and networks.

TEMA is part of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, but is also involved in joint programmes within the other faculties.

The Department is led by a Board and has approximately 200 employees, of which 60 are PhD-students. There is a central office for administrative and technical support (IT, wages, student administration/counseling, finances, archives etc.).

Tema table