This multidisciplinary research group consists of researchers from the Department of Health Promotion and Development engaged in development-related research in diverse cultural settings. The group also has members from other research environments and networking within and across faculties and universities characterizes the group’s research.

The research topics in the group’s project portfolio are varied, yet united by a core interest in questions of social justice and empowerment. Of considerable importance are gendered and generational aspects of global poverty, marginalisation and social exclusion, as well as the impact of Western hegemony in knowledge production, global development discourse and processes of social change. The bulk of the groups’ research is undertaken in low and middle income countries. The group’s research is concerned with the need for sensitivity to local contexts both as an epistemological and methodological principle, as a basis for creating contextualized knowledge with relevance outside the particular contexts, and for generating supportive activities. Our theoretical interests are founded on critical perspectives within health promotion, psychology, social anthropology, sociology, and gender studies. Data collection and analyses include locally applicable quantitative and qualitative approaches, with a strong focus on participatory methods.