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Jessica Hanna Jönsson

Position: Senior Lecturer School/office: School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences

Email: amVzc2ljYS1oYW5uYS5qb25zc29uO29ydS5zZQ==

Phone: No number available

Room: L2306

Research subject

Social Work

About Jessica Hanna Jönsson

Jessica Jönsson is an Associate Professor of Social Work and a qualified social worker. Her research and teaching focus on how global social change, migration and inequality shape people’s living conditions and the practice of social work, as well as on how social work can contribute to social justice, participation and sustainable development.

Her research examines how globalisation, migration and transnational processes affect people’s living conditions, welfare systems and social work. A central focus is on how social problems are shaped at the intersection of global developments and national and local contexts. Her work draws, among other perspectives, on critical theory, postcolonial approaches and global ethics, as well as qualitative and reflexive research methods.

Jessica teaches social work, with a particular focus on social policy, migration, community work, inclusion and social work in a globalised world. In her teaching, she brings together research, professional practice and societal issues, with particular emphasis on students’ critical thinking and their ability to analyse social problems from structural, global and critical perspectives on power.

She supervises doctoral students working in areas including international mobility, migration, social justice and human rights.

Jessica is the research group leader of Globalisation, Migration and Social Cohesion (GLOMISCO) at Örebro University. Her academic engagement also includes international collaborations and networks in social work.

She served as a board member of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) from 2020 to 2024 and as a member of the organisation’s Human Rights and Social Justice Committee during the same period. Since 2020, she has been Chair of Social Work Action Network International (SWAN-I-Sweden), where she leads and develops academic and professional collaborations focusing on social justice and critical social work.

Through her research, teaching and academic engagement, Jessica seeks to contribute to a form of social work that highlights the global and structural dimensions of social problems and strengthens people’s rights, participation and opportunities for social change.

Active projects

Completed projects

Theory and Practice of Social Work in Times of Pandemic

Research groups

Globalisation, migration and social cohesion (GLOMISCO)

Publications

Articles in journals

Jönsson, J. H. , Jonsson, J. & Alsaidan, H. (2026). Torn Apart: Structural Racism and the Targeting of Muslim Mothers by Child Welfare. Affilia. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2025). “We Pupils Had to Hear…” Marginalised Youths’ Experiences of Racialising Language and Symbolic Violence in Swedish Schools. Social Policy and Society, 24 (1), 139-153. [BibTeX]
Bennich, M. & Jönsson, J. H. (2023). Förändrade förutsättningar för människobehandlande arbete inom socialtjänsten under covidpandemin. Tidsskrift for Arbejdsliv, 25 (4), 28-40. [BibTeX]
Walker, J. , Keet, A. , Das, C. , Gatenio Gabel, S. , Pitowsky-Nave, N. & Jönsson, J. H. (2023). Wars and Armed Conflict: Voices from the Unheard. Social Dialogue, 27 (12), 4-5. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Flem, A. L. (2022). Global social work ethics and international field training: The experiences and practice dilemmas of Norwegian and Swedish social work students. International Social Work, 65 (1), 35-48. [BibTeX]
Finch, J. , Jönsson, J. H. , Kamali, M. & McKendrick, D. (2022). Social work and countering violent extremism in Sweden and the UK. European Journal of Social Work, 25 (1), 119-130. [BibTeX]
Ghazanfareeon Karlsson, S. & Jönsson, J. H. (2020). Forced migration, older refugees and displacement: Implications for social work as a human rights profession. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 5 (3), 212-222. [BibTeX]
Lauri, M. & Jönsson, J. H. (2020). Rustad för morgondagen? Kritiska och radikala perspektiv i den svenska socionomutbildningens styrdokument. Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift, 27 (3-4), 269-290. [BibTeX]
Kronman, J. & Jönsson, J. H. (2020). We Are Here: undocumented migrants and activism as resistance. Critical and radical social work An international journal, 8 (3), 371-387. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2019). Overfishing, social problems, and ecosocial sustainability in Senegalese fishing communities. Journal of Community Practice, 27 (3-4), 213-230. [BibTeX]
Kamali, M. & Jönsson, J. H. (2019). Revolutionary Social Work: Promoting Sustainable Justice. Critical and radical social work An international journal, 7 (3), 293-314. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2019). Servants of a 'sinking Titanic' or actors of change?: contested identities of social workers in Sweden [Passiva tjänare av ‘ett sjunkande skepp’ eller förändringsaktörer? Ifrågasatta identiteter hos socialarbetare i Sverige]. European Journal of Social Work, 22 (2), 212-224. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Flem, A. L. (2018). International field training in social work education: beyond colonial divides. Social Work Education, 37 (7), 895-908. [BibTeX]
Flem, A. L. , Jönsson, J. H. , Alseth, A. K. , Strauss, H. & Antczak, H. (2017). Revitalizing social work education through global and critical awareness: Examples from three Scandinavian schools of social work. European Journal of Social Work, 20 (1), 76-87. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Heggem Kojan, B. (2017). Social justice beyond neoliberal welfare nationalism: Challenges of increasing immigration to Sweden and Norway. Critical and radical social work An international journal, 5 (3), 301-317. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2015). A Social Work Education Without Borders. Social Dialogue (11), 4-7. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2015). The contested field of social work in a retreating welfare state: the case of Sweden. Critical and radical social work An international journal, 3 (3), 357-374. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2014). Local Reactions to Global Problems: Undocumented Immigrants and Social Work. British Journal of Social Work, 44, 35-52. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2013). Social work beyond cultural otherisation. Nordic Social Work Research, 3 (2), 159-167. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Kamali, M. (2012). Fishing for development: A question for social work. International Social Work, 55 (4), 504-521. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2010). Beyond empowerment: Changing local communities. International Social Work, 53 (3), 393-406. [BibTeX]

Articles, book reviews

Jönsson, J. H. (2024). Book review: Social Work and Common Sense: A Critical Examination. Critical Social Policy, 44 (4), 706-709. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2021). Book review: Towards Glocal Social Work in the Era of Compressed Modernity. Critical Social Policy, 41 (3), 505-507. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2020). Book review: Peak inequality: Britain's ticking time bomb. Critical and radical social work An international journal, 8 (2), 283-285. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2020). Book Review: Resisting Neoliberalism in Higher Education Volume I: Seeing Through the Cracks. Critical Social Policy, 40 (1), 162-164. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2016). Book review: Child Welfare Systems and Migrant Children: A Cross Country Study of Policies and Practice. Critical Social Policy, 36 (3), 458-460. [BibTeX]

Chapters in books

Jonsson, J. & Jönsson, J. H. (2026). Legal and Social Policy Protection for Undocumented Female Migrants. In: Dragica Vujadinović; Eleonor Kristoffersson; Marco Evola, Law and Gender from Intersectionality and Diversity Perspective. . Springer. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2023). Overfishing, social problems, and ecosocial sustainability in Senegalese fishing communities. In: Komalsingh Rambaree; Meredith C.F. Powers; Richard J. Smith, Ecosocial Work in Community Practice: Embracing Ecosocial Worldviews and Promoting Sustainability (pp. 11-28). . Routledge. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2023). Reconceptualising Welfare and Social Justice for Critical Social Work. In: Stephen A. Webb, The Routledge Handbook of International Critical Social Work: new perspectives and agendas. London: Routledge. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2022). Chandra Talpade Mohanty: Avkoloniserad teori och praktiserad solidaritet. In: Tina Mattsson; Em Andersson, Teorier för socialt arbete: Del 2: Normalitet, förkroppsligad erfarenhet och motstånd (pp. 201-214). Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. , Flem, A. L. & Ghazanfareeon Karlsson, S. (2022). Critical reflections on international social work research: Beyond South/North divides. In: Christian Franklin Svensson; Pia Ringø, Revitalising Critical Reflection in Contemporary Social Work Research, Practice and Education (pp. 38-51). London: Routledge. [BibTeX]
Herz, M. , Johansson, T. , Jönsson, J. H. , Lalander, P. , Mattsson, T. , Samzelius, T. & Wikström, H. (2022). Mot ett kritiskt socialt arbete. In: Marcus Herz, Kritiskt socialt arbete (pp. 214-228). Malmö: Liber. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2021). Socialt arbete bortom nationella gränser: Om samtidens utmaningar. In: Marcus Herz, Kritiskt socialt arbete (pp. 170-188). Malmö: Liber. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Lauri, M. (2021). Vision för social förändring: strategier för en kritisk och radikal socionomutbildning. In: Magnus Dahlstedt, Sabine Gruber, Marcus Herz, Philip Lalander, Socialt arbete: rörelse, motstånd och förändring (pp. 131-154). Lund: Studentlitteratur AB. [BibTeX]
Östman, C. & Jönsson, J. H. (2020). Swedish reception of unaccompanied refugee minors: Social work and integration challenges in a changing political landscape. In: Octávio Sacramento, Elizabeth Challinor, Pedro Gabriel Silva, Quest for Refuge: Reception responses from the Global North (pp. 233-257). Vila Nova de Famalicão-Braga: Húmus. [BibTeX]
Kamali, M. & Jönsson, J. H. (2018). Conclusion: Current and future challenges for Nordic welfare states and social work. In: Masoud Kamali & Jessica H. Jönsson, Neoliberalism, Nordic Welfare States and Social Work: Current and Future Challenges (pp. 249-269). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. [BibTeX]
Kamali, M. & Jönsson, J. H. (2018). Introduction: Neoliberalism and social work in the Nordic welfare states. In: Masoud Kamali & Jessica H. Jönsson, Neoliberalism, Nordic Welfare States and Social Work: Current and Future Challenges (pp. 1-22). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. [BibTeX]
Kamali, M. & Jönsson, J. H. (2018). Kulturkompetens och antirasistiskt socialt arbete. In: Magnus Dahlstedt & Philip Lalander, Manifest: för ett socialt arbete i tiden (pp. 279-289). Lund: Studentlitteratur AB. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2018). Välfärdsstatens försvagning, ökade sociala problem och social mobilisering. In: Stefan Sjöberg och Päivi Turunen, Samhällsarbete: Aktörer, arenor och perspektiv (pp. 237-250). Lund: Studentlitteratur AB. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2016). Poverty alleviation, development, and social work practice in West Africa: A focus on Senegal. In: Mel Gray, The Handbook of Social Work and Social Development in Africa (pp. 243-255). New York: Routledge. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2012). A hatalomhoz juttatáson túl – a helyi közösségek megváltoztatása (Beyond Empowerment: Changing local communities). In: Budai István, Nárai Márta, Együttmüködés és felelösségvállalás tanulása a szociális és közösségi munkában (Inter-professional Cooperation in Social Work) (pp. 11-25). Győr: Széchenyi Istvan University. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2012). Writing against Postcolonial Imaginations: The White Race for a Weakening Patriarchy. In: Mona Livholts, Emergent Writing Methodologies in Feminist Studies (pp. 113-129). London: Routledge. [BibTeX]

Collections (editor)

Kamali, M. (ed.) & Jönsson, J. H. (ed.) (2018). Neoliberalism, Nordic Welfare States and Social Work: Current and Future Challenges. New York: Routledge (Routledge Advances in Social Work ). [BibTeX]

Conference papers

Jönsson, J. H. , Baianstovu, R. Í. & Fredriksson, M. (2026). Kritisk pedagogik och transformativt lärande i socionomutbildningen - Studenters perspektiv och lärdomar från fokusgruppssamtal. In: Jessica Jönsson; Rúna Í Baianstovu; Matilda Fredriksson, Den marginaliserade stadsmiljön och socialt arbete Nationell konferens, Socialt arbete, Örebro Universitet, augusti 2024. Paper presented at Den marginaliserade stadsmiljön och socialt arbete, Nationell konferens, Socialt arbete, Örebro universitet, Örebro, 28-29 Augusti, 2024. (pp. 17-30). Örebro: Örebro Universitet. [BibTeX]
Amouri, L. , Giles, C. J. , Baianstovu, R. Í. , Fredriksson, M. & Jönsson, J. H. (2025). Empowering Future Practitioners: Collaborative Action Research in Social Work and Psychology Education for Advancing Social Justice. In: CARN Conference 2025 Book of Abstracts. Paper presented at CARN Conference 2025: Digitalization, social justice and transforming societies, Klagenfurt, Austria, November 13-15, 2025. (pp. 7-7). [BibTeX]
Da Silva Mustafá, A. M. , Jönsson, J. H. , Peris Cancio, L. F. , Floriano Grassi, M. , Fernandez Barriera, J. , Asunción Martinez-Román, M. , Margaritai Crisistell, D. , Rodriguez Berio, A. & et al. (2024). Social Work and the Pandemic: Professional Awareness and Practice. Paper presented at Social Work and Social Development Conference (SWSD2024): Respecting Diversity through Joint Social Action, Panama, April 4-7, 2024. [BibTeX]
Baianstovu, R. & Jönsson, J. H. (2024). Social work education in a superdiverse society: the roles of educators in challenging boundaries and creating capabilities for transformative learning. Paper presented at FORSA/NASSW Conference 2024: Social work as Emancipatory Practice, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 17-19, 2024. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2024). Visioner för ett progressivt socialt arbete: Bortom marginalisering och avcivilisering. Paper presented at Den marginaliserade stadsmiljön och socialt arbete, Örebro universitet, Örebro, 28-29 augusti 2024. [BibTeX]
Lynch, H. & Jönsson, J. H. (2023). The troubled gifts of Bergsjön: Social work and the marginalised urban environment. Paper presented at European Social Work Conference 2023: Against all Odds – A Social Europe is Possible Where Nobody is Left Behind!, Praque, Czech Republic, May 21-24, 2023. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Nordberg, C. (2021). The challenge of neoliberal welfare nationalism for social work with migrants and refugees with precarious status in the Nordic countries. Paper presented at 20th Nordic Migration Research conference / the 17th ETMU conference, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, January 11-14, 2021 (Online conference). [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2020). International field training: exploring the roles of students and educators in transformative learning of situated ethics. Paper presented at Global Ethics Day Webinar: Higher Education and Professional Ethics in Action, Cork University, Ireland, October 21, 2020. [BibTeX]
Ghazanfareeon Karlsson, S. & Jönsson, J. H. (2019). Forced migration, older people and displacement. Paper presented at IFSW European Conference, Social Protection & Human Dignity, Vienna, Austria, September 8-11, 2019. [BibTeX]
Flem, A. L. & Jönsson, J. H. (2019). Global social work ethics and international field training: The experiences and practice dilemmas of Norwegian and Swedish social work students. Paper presented at WEBINAR: Implementing a Global Code of Ethics to Ensure Professional Standards, April 24, 2019. Global Social Service Workforce Alliance. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2018). A weakening welfare state and the changing professional identities of social workers in Sweden. In: 8th European Conference for Social Work Research Book of Abstracts. Paper presented at 8th European Conference for Social Work Research, Edinburgh, Scotland, April 18-20, 2018. (pp. 170-170). The University of Edinburgh. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Flem, A. L. (2018). Field training in the Global South and unequal power relations: On the challenges of encounters. In: FORSA/NOUSA - Nordic Social Work Conference 2018 Book of Abstracts. Paper presented at FORSA/NOUSA - Nordic Social Work Conference 2018: Power and Social Work, Helsinki, Finland, November 21-23, 2018. (pp. 41-41). [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2018). Sustainable development and the global role of social work: Discontents and new horizons. In: SWSD 2018 Abstract Book. Paper presented at Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD 2018), Dublin, Ireland, July 4-7, 2018. (pp. 925-925). [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Ghazanfareeon Karlsson, S. (2017). Marginalization and social work in a changing society: Older refugees and social work. Paper presented at IFSW European Conference 2017 – Marginalization and Social Work in a Changing Society, Reykjavik, Island, May 28-30, 2017. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Flem, A. L. (2017). Teaching Social Work Values and Ethics in international field training. In: Social work education in Europe: challenging boundaries promoting a sustainable future Book of abstracts. Paper presented at EASSW-UNAFORIS 2017 European Conference – Social Work Education in Europe: Challenging Boundaries, Promoting a Sustainable Future, Paris, France, June 27-29, 2017. (pp. 72-72). [BibTeX]
Heggem Kojan, B. & Jönsson, J. H. (2017). The refugee ‘crisis’, welfare nationalism and social justice: Critical perspectives in Social Work Education. In: Social work education in Europe: challenging boundaries promoting a sustainable future Book of abstracts. Paper presented at EASSW-UNAFORIS 2017 European Conference – Social Work Education in Europe: Challenging Boundaries, Promoting a Sustainable Future, Paris, France, June 27-29, 2017. (pp. 35-35). [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. & Flem, A. L. (2016). Critical and global approaches in social work education and field training. Paper presented at Nordic FORSA/NOUSA conference 2016: Decisions, outcome and change, Copenhagen, Denmark, November 7-9, 2016. [BibTeX]
Flem, A. L. , Jönsson, J. H. & Strauss,, H. I. (2015). Global Awareness and international Dimensions in Social Work Education: Examples from three Scandinavian Schools of Social Work. Paper presented at EASSW 2015: Social Work Education in Europe: Towards 2025 Milan, Italy, June 29 - July 2, 2015. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2014). Globalisation, Community Development and Empowerment. Paper presented at Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education, and Social Development, Melbourne, Australia, July 9-12, 2014. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2013). Local Reactions to Global Problems: Undocumented Immigrants and Social Work. Paper presented at The 25th Nordic Conference of Social Work Schools: Social Work Teaching at the Intersection between Research and Practice, Tampere, Finland, August 28-30, 2013. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2012). The nationalised social work and globalized social problems: The Swedish dilemma. In: Social Work Social Development 2012 Abstract Book. Paper presented at Social Work Social Development 2012: Action and Impact, Stockholm, Sweden, July 8-12, 2012. (pp. 273-274). [BibTeX]

Conference proceedings (editor)

Jönsson, J. H. (ed.) , Baianstovu, R. Í. (ed.) & Fredriksson, M. (ed.) (2026). Den marginaliserade stadsmiljön och socialt arbete: Nationell konferens, Socialt arbete, Örebro Universitet, augusti 2024. Örebro: Örebro universitet (Working Papers and Reports Social work 35). [BibTeX]

Daily newspapers

Svensson, J. , Jönsson, J. H. , Israelsson, M. , Kamali, M. , Kaffrell-Lindahl, A. , Espvall, M. , Blid, M. , Miller, E. & et al. (2016). Socialtjänsten ska inte fungera som angivare. Svenska Dagbladet. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2015). "Vi och dem"-tänkandet är skadligt. Östersundsposten. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2014). Sexualiserat våld och förtryck är också en klassfråga. Fria tidningen (13 september). [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2013). Krokodiltårar i Italien. Fria tidningen (7 oktober). [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2010). Det handlar om rättigheter - inte välgörenhet. Östersundsposten (29 januari). [BibTeX]

Doctoral theses, comprehensive summaries

Jönsson, J. H. (2014). Localised Globalities and Social Work: Contemporary Challenges. (Doctoral dissertation). (Comprehensive summary) Sundsvall: Mid Sweden University. [BibTeX]

Other

Jönsson, J. H. (2021). Is the Nordic model the answer?. Social Work Action Network, Jimmy Reid Foundation. [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2011). Dagbok och självreflektion i det sociala arbetets forskning. Karlstad: Kooperativet Mediagruppen.(Sociala Nätet: Nyheter, debatt och kunskap om socialt arbete) [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2011). Om gränser, gränslösa ambitioner och socialt arbete. Karlstad: Kooperativet Mediagruppen.(Sociala Nätet: Nyheter, debatt och kunskap om socialt arbete) [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2011). Om intersektionella perspektiv och socialt arbete. Karlstad: Kooperativet Mediagruppen.(Sociala Nätet: Nyheter, debatt och kunskap i socialt arbete) [BibTeX]
Jönsson, J. H. (2011). Socialt arbete och den globala utvecklingsagendan. Karlstad: Kooperativet Mediagruppen.(Sociala Nätet: Nyheter, debatt och kunskap om socialt arbete) [BibTeX]

Reports

Jönsson, J. H. (2011). Development and empowerment through the Crèche and the role of female sex workers: Field practice in India. Östersund: Mid Sweden University. [BibTeX]