Johanna Selin

About Johanna Selin

Background Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Environmental Science with a focus on Environmental Policy, and a Master's degree in Public Administration. I began my doctoral studies in Public Administration in February 2015.

Research Interest My research interest is rooted in sustainable development and environmental and climate issues combined with a societal perspective. I am particularly interested in how a question or phenomenon becomes subject to governance and thus becomes something governable and manageable. I am especially interested in the public sector and how it is organized to address what is increasingly becoming prevalent, namely significant societal challenges, sometimes referred to as "wicked problems" or complex issues. More specifically, my dissertation focuses on social sustainability and how what is often described as a very complex issue is picked up by public organizations and handled to become more concrete. I am studying the initiative "Equitable Gothenburg – The Whole City Socially Sustainable," an initiative where the entire municipality is to be involved in working towards social sustainability and equality. The tension between a complex concept and a complex organization is what I find interesting, with an emphasis on understanding why things unfold the way they do and why certain actors or events are considered particularly significant or important. Dissecting this and understanding its implications for the organization of social sustainability issues is particularly fascinating.

Teaching

• Public scrutiny (certification and accreditation)
• Sustainable development and organizational theory
• Economic management
• Sustainable development in cities and regions
• Thesis supervision
• Sustainable leadership