I am a social anthropologist with regional and analytical specialization in Denmark. My fields of interest are cultural historical perceptions of ‘active citizenship’ and civil society in the context of Danish (welfare)society, in particular themes like community (fællesskab), associational life, the cultural history of Danish cooperatives, optimization, and self-governance. Within this analytical framework, I have previously carried out long-term ethnographic fieldwork among modern Danish pig farmers and Copenhagen climate activist.

As ’industrial researcher”* in one of Copenhagen’s major social housing (in Danish: ‘Common housing) organizations, I conduct a critical anthropological evaluation of the organization’s 2030 strategy which central aim is to enhance “engagement” among residents through efforts of social, environmental and economic sustainability.

My project ’Common Engagement’ examines how the unique Danish model of resident democracy works in practice in light of its cultural historical development since the 1970’s. Based on 15 month of ethnographic fieldwork in three Copenhagen housing estates, my study centers on the concerns and initiatives for the local neighborhood unfolding in and around the democratically elected tenants of the estate board.

Methodologically I am inspired by case-study approach of the anthropological Manchester-school and its principles for illustrating how specific social situations and their inherent conflicts bring together different actors and political realities: residents, estate board members, professional consultants in the housing organization as well as neoliberal steering principles for the Danish common housing sector.

In my engagement with central ethnographic, emic themes on voluntary ‘fiery souls’ (‘ildsjæle’), physical development of the estates, ‘participation’ (‘deltagelse’) and ‘communities’ (‘fællesskaber’), I draw on an eclectic theoretical framework of neoliberalism, citizenship studies and politics and practices of care.

Altogether, the project provides a scientific account of the current challenges and potentials in the Danish resident democracy, and through research interventions in collaboration with the housing organization it seeks to strengthen the role of the common housing sector in the future of democratic urban development in Denmark.

*The project is financed by the housing organization and the Danish Innovation Fund.