
Resilience among smallholder farmers in rural Africa
How do farmers and pastoralists in Africa deal with change, uncertainty and crisis situations in their daily lives? Linda Engström, researcher in rural development, will investigate this together with colleagues from Tanzania and Canada in a project funded by Formas.

When gardening became a science – new book depicts cultivation throughout history
Now, Swedish Garden History 1500 to 1800 has been published, the final part in a three-volume work that covers Swedish garden culture from prehistoric times to the present. The new part focuses on the early modern period, a period when the idea of what a garden can be, and how it can be used, was being formed.

Ambiguous messages appear to have paved the way for rapid climate policy change
What role did political rhetoric play in the rapid shift in climate policy after the 2022 election? SLU researchers who have analyzed debates in parliament and the media believe that politicians used ambiguous messages to appeal to multiple ideological groups simultaneously.
News
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From child-friendly places to child-friendly cities
Research shows that children's physical, psychological, and mental health is affected by the availability and quality of outdoor environments. In Malmö, several projects are underway to create child-friendly street environments and neighborhoods – in collaboration with the children themselves. -
The children’s city – where play meets urban development and nature
How do children see the city? At the Malmö Festival, SLU Urban Futures and Botildenborg invited visitors on a playful journey into the world of urban development. By planting, creating, and interacting with a map, the children left their mark on Malmö—both literally and symbolically. -
How to talk when truth is contested – three strategies for collaborative policy making
Facilitators of collaborative policy making on sustainability issues often face heated debates and conflicting truths. They are on the front lines when facts are contested and emotions run high. A new study explores their experiences and presents strategies for navigating post-truth situations. -
SLU highlights critical perspectives on environmental psychology at international conference
From 15 to 18 June, SLU took part in the International Conference on Environmental Psychology (ICEP 2025). More than 600 participants explored one of the most pressing issues of our time: how people’s experience of place is shaped by climate change, urban development, health, and social change. -
Ambiguous messages appear to have paved the way for rapid climate policy change
What role did political rhetoric play in the rapid shift in climate policy after the 2022 election? SLU researchers who have analyzed debates in parliament and the media believe that politicians used ambiguous messages to appeal to multiple ideological groups simultaneously.
Calendar
Research projects
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RETURN -- Restoring Environments in Ukraine - Capacity building and knowledge exchange on environmental assessment and restoration
Capacity building and knowledge exchange with respect to enviromental restoration of ecosystems that have sustained damage due to the war in Ukraine. -
Learning from forest fires - Analysing unequal impacts, well-being and local knowledge and action
An analysis of how forest fires unequally shape the well-being of local communities in three cases in Sweden, Spain and Chile. -
Exploring Governance Regimes through Agricultural Land Grabbing Dynamics
This three-year project investigated to what extent agricultural land grabbing processes affecting rural areas are inserted in broader governance struggles over power relations and identities. -
Multi-cultural aspects of active aging: A cooperative study between Sweden and India
A comparative study between Sweden and India with the aim of developing a new working model for the care staff's work with active aging -
The potential of smallholder poultry farming in transforming rural livelihoods in Rwanda
This research project investigates how smallholder poultry farming can enhance rural household food and nutrition security and promote gender equality in Rwanda.
Research groups
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Agrarian History
Agrarian history is a broad discipline examining people in the rural society, their social and economic conditions, and their relationship with nature, the landscape and wider society, as well as agricultural production and technological development. -
Landscape Architecture - Design Theory
The design theory group is concerned with the methods, tools, and pedagogy of the landscape architecture discipline. -
Landscape Architecture - Landscape Management
The landscape management subject focuses on how urban open space management such as vegetation, water and soil contributes to biodiversity, climate change adaptation and ecosystem services. -
Landscape Architecture - Profession and Practice
In the subject area the profession and practice, we focus on methods and theories used by landscape architects in their professional work. -
Landscape Architecture - Spatial Planning
The subject area spatial planning studies the interplay between the landscape, spatial planning and (other forms of) governance. -
Political Science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. Central to this are issues of democracy, power, politics, governance, and public administration at different levels.