Dr. Johan Lindwall

Biography

Johan Lindwall holds a PhD in Social Work and has a professional background as a social worker, with years of experience in social services in Gothenburg. His primary research interest centers around the interactions that occur during encounters between clients and the support systems intended for them, focusing particularly on institutional interactions and social exclusion. He is specifically interested in issues of power, governance, and professional practices within human service organizations, with an emphasis on substance use services. His research areas include homelessness and various forms of preventive social work. A recurring theme in his research is the agency of clients as shaped by institutional contexts. Johan teaches at undergraduate, advanced, and doctoral levels, covering topics such as substance use, the exercise of public authority in social work, and microsociological theory and methods. He also supervises theses at both undergraduate and advanced levels and is involved in doctoral supervision. He has served as Director of Studies for the advanced level from 2022 to 2025 and is currently engaged in several research projects regarding client agency and harm-reduction social work for homeless individuals facing drug-related issues.

Research Interests