Dr. Mia Lövheim

Biography

Mia Lövheim is a Professor in the Department of Theology at Uppsala University. Her research focuses primarily on the interplay between media, religion, culture, and social debate regarding identity construction. She has extensively studied how religion is represented in the Swedish and Nordic press, public service media, and the values and gender representations of Swedish female bloggers in discussions of religion amongst young adults using Swedish web communities. Lövheim's academic journey culminated in a PhD dissertation titled 'Intersecting Identities: Young People, Religious Identity and Interaction on the Internet' in 2004, contributing to the establishment of the new international research area termed Digital Religion. Her postdoctoral research pivoted towards gender performances and religious values represented by young Swedish female bloggers. From 2010 to 2018, her inquiry emphasized the representation and debate surrounding religion in the daily press, culminating in the project 'The Resurgence of Religion?!' which scrutinized Swedish editorial texts from 1975 to 2010. Notable research projects under her directorship at Uppsala University include 'Constructions of Religion in the Secular Contemporary Swedish Public Debate' and 'Youth & Religion.' Her work has contributed significantly to the sociology of religion, especially in regards to the media's role in the formation of religious identity and public discussion. Lövheim is also co-editor of the Nordic Journal of Religion and Society and actively engages in presenting her findings at international conferences.

Research Interests

Experience