Research

Research

I am a professor of Cultural Encounters and a member of the cross-departmental research group on migration at Roskilde University. From May 2025 I also serve as Head of studies of Cultural Encounters.

Although my background is in history of religions and Islamic studies (my PhD from 1998 focused on Muslim immigrants in Chicago), my research focus has for the last 25 years mainly been on migration to Denmark. From 2009 onwards I have combined history and anthropology in my methods, as illustrated by my Dr. Phil thesis (2015) and focusing on the migration history of Nørrebro 1885-2010.

My research interests thus include a focus on migration to Denmark (and Scandinavia), both past and present; the impact of migration on Danish cities and neighborhoods; transnational mobilities, ghettorization, and formulations of Islam in both Europe and North America.

Between May 2024- May 2025 I am working on a monograph (the work is funded by the Carlsberg Foundation) that presents my working in the longue durée with migration to Denmark to an international audience. From May 2025 I work with good colleagues in Estonia and Norway on the Nordforsk funded Polinera research project (https://www.nordforsk.org/projects/political-inclusion-era-radicalization-polinera)

Teaching and supervision

I teach and supervise on both BA, MA and PhD levels. I have supervised several BA projects, of which many have focused on migration and Muslim minority related topics. I also supervise projects based on qualitative research methods. I teach BA courses in global migration, globalization and transnationalism. On a MA level I teach various courses in Cultural Encounters, mainly focusing on migration, urban diversity, globalization, transnationalism, mobility, immigration history, religious diversity and cultural encounters. I supervise both student working on their MA theses and PhD candidates  working on these topics.

Collaboration and networks

I serve as a board member of ECMI (European Center for Minority Issues) in Flensburg (https://ecmi.de) , and as a board member of the Danish Knowledge Center of Integration (https://videnscenterforintegration.dk/).