Isabelle Johansson

Isabelle JohanssonIsabelle JohanssonIsabelle Johansson
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Isabelle Johansson

Isabelle JohanssonIsabelle JohanssonIsabelle Johansson
Home
Research
Teaching
Bio
More
  • Home
  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Bio

  • Home
  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Bio

Bio

About Me

I am a lecturer in sociology and criminology at Kristianstad University and a Ph.D. candidate in social anthropology at  Lund University, Sweden. My research primarily focuses on the exchange of sexual services for payment, analyzing public attitudes, the experiences of sex industry participants, and policy frameworks. Beyond sex work, my research interests include other topics related to intimacy and sexuality, like romance fraud, as well as research methods. I am driven by curiosity and a commitment to evidence in seeking to understand the complexities of human behavior. 


My work has been published in leading journals such as The Journal of Sex Research, Sexuality Research and Social Policy, Sexuality & Culture, Sexualities, and The Canadian Journal of Political Science, as well as in edited volumes. 


I have contributed to multiple EU-funded research projects on human trafficking, including Demand-side Measure Against Trafficking (DemandAT) and INSigHT - Building capacity to deal with human trafficking and transit routes in Nigeria, Italy, Sweden, conducting extensive fieldwork in Sweden, Germany, and New Zealand. I also worked as a consultant for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), where I developed a global database tracking member states’ responses to human trafficking. 

My interest in the intersection of sex work, policy, and rights began while working on a harm-reduction project in Perugia, Italy. There, I advocated for migrant street-based sex workers, facilitating their access to healthcare, legal resources, and rights awareness. I am dedicated to fostering collaboration between researchers and societal stakeholders, including sex worker rights organizations, to ensure that research meaningfully informs policy and practice.


I have shared my expertise through various media outlets, including interviews and articles in Sydsvenskan, Kristianstadsbladet, and Modern Psykologi. I have also appeared on Sveriges Radio (SR) and the Jökungen podcast, discussing topics related to sex work and human trafficking.


Professional Memberships

  • LEX Research Network: private platform for academics and researchers interested in scholarship on law, gender and sexuality (2025-present).
  • Gruppo Italiano di Ricerca su Prostituzione e Lavoro Sessuale (GRIPS): Italian research group on prostitution and sex work (2019-present).
  • Forskning om Sex Mot Ersättning (FOSME): Swedish research network on sex against remuneration (2016-present).
  • Comparing European Prostitution Policies: Understanding Scales and Cultures of Governance (PROSPOL): international research network, COST Action IS1209 (2013-2017).

Awards & Grants

  • Post-graduate Scholarship, Iuav University of Venice (2019).
  • MIM Master Essay Award, Malmö University (2014).
  • Centre for European Studies Stipend, Lund University (2012).
  • Minor Field Study Stipend, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) (2012).

Copyright © 2025 Isabelle Johansson - All Rights Reserved.

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