Per Assmo
Professor
IPPE programme Manager
Organization
Staff member at Division of Urban Planning and Development. Conducts research in social sciences, workintegrated learning, social and economic geography.BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH INTERESTS
During the 90’s, I conducted field research and did development work as an SIDA expert in East Africa. After returning to Sweden I received my PhD in Human and Economic Geography at Göteborg University in 1999 with a thesis entitled; Livelihood Strategies and Land Degradation - Perceptions among Small-Scale Farmers in Ng'iresi Village, Tanzania. My networks and research interest in Africa, and particularly South Africa, has continued and expanded over the years. Already in year 2000, I started a collaboration with the Geography Department at Rhodes University. I am since 2009 appointed as Visiting professor to Rhodes University. In more recent years I have also initiated a close educational and research collaboration with the Department for Political Studies at University of Western Cape (UWC), and I am since 2017 appointed as Extraordinary Associate Professor to University of Western Cape.
Apart from my collaboration with South African universities, I have also been attached part-time as researcher and co-ordinator at the Department for Management and Engineering at Linköping University during the period 2007-2015. However, I have, since my employment started in 2001, always kept my base and main educational and research activities at University West. In 2009 I was appointed Associate Professor, and in 2018 I became professor in human and Economic Geography at University West.
I have a profound engagement and research interest focusing on the African continent, as well as in Sweden. I started in the 90’s focusing on rural sustainable development in Africa, which later also became a field of interest in a Swedish context. My research interests have over the years come to include also other areas such as; Sustainable Development, Creative Industries, Migration and Integration, Internationalisation of Higher Education, and Work Integrated Learning. In many of these research areas I have explored the concept of time-spatial approaches, largely developing the concept of Time-Geography initially founded by Torsten Hägerstrand.
EDUCATION/SUPERVISION
I have more than 20 years of national and international teaching experience at undergraduate as well as post-graduate level, giving lectures and courses in; Sweden, South Africa, Switzerland, UK, Ireland, Australia, USA, Norway, Denmark, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. Fields of teaching includes primarily the subjects of Human & Economic Geography, Political Science, and Social Science with topics such as; Regional Geography (Africa), Demography & Migration, Global Production & Trade, International Political Economy, Rural Development, Local Economic Development (LED), Tourism Geography, Development in Theory & Practice, Political Ecology, Theory & Methodology, Time Geography, European Politics, and Work Integrated Learning (WIL)
I have over the years also gained extensive experience as Supervisor to Honours/Master/PhD projects at Institutions in Sweden (University West, Linköping University, Göteborg University), and South Africa (Rhodes University, University of the Western Cape - UWC). I have also been examiner committee member for PhD Degrees at various universities.
I have developed and implemented a number of new university programmes, in Sweden and South Africa. I currently hold positions as;
- Programme Director for the International Programme for Politics & Economics (IPPE), University West
- Programme Director for the Master Programme in International Politics, University West
- Extraordinary Associate Professor, Department of Political Studies, UWC,
- Visiting Professor, Geography Department, Rhodes University, South Africa
- Member of the Research Council for Work Integrated Learning (LINA) at University West
- Member of the Research Editorial Committee – Uddevalla Symposium Rhodes University
- University West co-ordinator for SANORD (Southern Africa Nordic Centre)
- Member of the steering committee for SASUF (South Africa Sweden Research Forum)
- External Expert/Evaluator - Swedish Council for Higher Education
KEY WORDS
Time-geography, Rural Development, Sustainable Development, Internationalisation, Development Theory, Integration, Migration, Political-Economy, Work Integrated Learning.
PUBLICATIONS (SELECTION)
Assmo, P. (2005) Creative Clusters - Ideas and Realities for Cluster Growth. The Example of Film i Väst in the Region of Västra Götaland, Sweden. In Karlsson, Johansson & Stough: Industrial Clusters and Inter-Firm Networks. New Horizons in Regional Science. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2007) Beyond the Economic Meanings of Development - A Discussion of Political-Geographical Constructions of Societal Development. In University West Research Report 2007:04. Institutions for Knowledge Generation & Knowledge Flows – Building Innovative Capabilities for Regions. Grafikerna Livrena AB. Kungälv, Sweden
Fox, R. & Assmo, P. and H. Kjellgren (2008) Role Playing African Development: an international comparison. The Journal of Independent Teaching and Learning. Volume 3. 2008.
Assmo, P. (2010) Creative Industries and Regional Economic Development – The Example of Public Supported Regional Film Centres in Sweden. In Karlsson, Johansson & Stough: Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. Local Processes and Global Patterns. New Horizons in Regional Science. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, UK.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2010) Home: The Arena for Sustainable Development – A conceptual discussion.The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, Volume 6, Issue 1, pp.319-332. Common Ground Publishing.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2011) Ydre 2.0 – An alternative Approach towards Post-Monetarism. In: University West Research Report 2011:01. (Ed I. Bernhard) Innovation and Multidimensional Entrepreneurship – Economic, Social and Academic Aspects. Litorapid Media. Göteborg, Sweden.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2011) A time Spatial approach towards Integrated Sustainable Development. In: University West Research Report 2011:05. (Ed I. Bernhard) Entrepreneurial Knowledge, Technology and Transformations of Regions. Ale Tryckteam AB, Bohus, Sweden.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2012) An Alternative View of Integrated Sustainable Development Through a Time-Spatial Lens. In: OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, Vol. 03, No. 12, pp. 87-96, 2012.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2012) Public Services Choices When There Are No Alternatives? – A Paradox of New Public Management in Rural Areas. Journal of Rural and Community Development. Vol 7, no 2, p. 1-17.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2012) Local alternative development through a time-spatial lens: a case study of Ydre inspired by Hägerstrand. In: Entrepreneurship, Social Capital and Governance. - Directions for the Sustainable Development and Competitiveness of Regions. Johansson, B. Karlsson, C. & Stough, R. R. (eds.), London: Edward Elgar Publications.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2014) En annan kommunal ekonomi. Om andra sätt att värdera lokala resurser och aktiviteter. Bilder från Ydre kommun. LIU Tryck. Linköping, Sweden.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2014)Home: An Alternative Time-Spatial Concept for Sustainable Development. In; Transitions to Sustainability: Theoretical Debates for a Changing Planet. D. Humphreys & S. Stober (eds.) London: Common Grounds publishing.
Assmo, P. & Fox, R. (2015) International collaboration for pedagogical innovation: Understanding multi-racial interaction through a time-geographic appraisal. (pp 207-227). In; Knowledge for a sustainable World – A southern African-Nordic contribution. Ed Halvorsen T, Ibsen H, & M’kumbuzi R. SANORD & African Minds, Cape Town.
Assmo, P. (2015)A Time-geographic Appraisal for Local Sustainable Development.The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability. Annual Review, Volume 10, 2014. pp. 15-26. Common Ground Publishing.
Assmo, P. & Wihlborg, E. (2016) Political Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Growth in Rural Areas. In; Political Entrepreneurship - Regional Growth and Entrepreneurial Diversity in Sweden. Eds., Karlsson, Silander & Silander. Cheltenham UK: Edward Elgar Publications.
Assmo, P., T. Winman & M. Westerlind (2018) Slutrapport: Hälsofrämjande integration och jämlik folkhälsa i Uddevalla - Ett forsknings- och utvecklingsprojekt i samarbete med Högskolan Väst och Uddevalla kommun. Högskolan Väst
Assmo, P. & Winman, T. (Forthcoming) Work Integrated Learning through an R&D Project. A Case Study of Student´s participation in a Health Promoting Integration Project at University West.
Assmo, P. (Forthcoming)A Time-Spatial Approach to Analyse Migrants’ Micro-Migration and Settlement Patterns.
Read more about my research on our Swedish website.
Publications
Social sustainability for whom? : Developing an analytical approach through a tripartite collaboration
Fredrik Sunnemark, Emil Gahnström, Hedvig Rudström, Erika Karlsson, Per Assmo
Rethinking WIL for an academic discipline : the model of Work Integrated Political Studies (WIPS)
Laurence Piper, Karl Dahlquist, Fredrik Sunnemark, Per Assmo
Co-creating Work Integrated Learning Approaches through International Partnership : Collaborative Education & Research for Societal Development
Fredrik Sunnemark, Per Assmo, Henri Jacobs
Stadsdelsexperter : Invånares röster i ett blandområde i Trollhättan. Ett FOU-projekt mellan Högskolan Väst och Trollhättans stad
Erika Karlsson, Hedvig Rudström, Emil Gahnström, Per Assmo, Fredrik Sunnemark
Ungdomars vardag i Trollhättan : Ungdomars bildberättelser under coronapandemin
Erika Karlsson, Wilma Lundqvist-Westin, Hedvig Rudström, Per Assmo, Fredrik Sunnemark
Sektorsövergripande kartläggning för att minska och motverka segregation i Trollhättans stad
Deeqa Odaway, Isabelle Nerelius, Victoria Fröst, Wilma Lundqvist-Westin, Fredrik Sunnemark, Per Assmo
Kompetensutveckling för kunskapsförsörjning inom skolan : En fallstudie i Uddevalla och Sotenäs kommuner
Per Assmo, Fredrik Sunnemark, Erika Karlsson, Wilma Lundqvist-Westin
Hälsofrämjande integration : Resultat från en enkätundersökning med SFI-deltagare i Uddevalla 2017
Isabelle Nerelius, Per Assmo
Development of international collaborations in WIL for post-graduate and PhD programmes
Per Assmo
Transgressions and Transformations at Work : Towards a Social Media Practice among Swedish Municipality Communicators
Livia Norström, Ulrika Lundh Snis, Iréne Bernhard, Per Assmo
Political entrepreneurship and sustainable growth in rural areas
Per Assmo, Elin Wihlborg
Local Policy Entrepreneurs and Sustainable Development in Rural Areas
Per Assmo, Elin Wilhborg
From Global to Local
Per Assmo
A time-spatial approach towards integrated sustainable development
Per Assmo, Elin Wihlborg
Home: The Arena for Sustainable Development : A Conceptual Discussion
Per Assmo, Elin Wihlborg
Creative Industry Cluster Growth for Regional Development : Illustrations from Sweden
Per Assmo
Creative Industrial Development for Regional Economic Growth : The Example of Regional Film Centres in Sweden.
Per Assmo
Bridging theory and practice through Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) : critical perspectives on the conceptualisations of WIL at a university in Sweden
Ludvig Sunnemark, Fredrik Sunnemark, Karl Dahlquist, Emil Gahnström, Per Assmo, Laurence Piper
Exploring barriers and facilitators to knowledge transfer and learning processes through a cross-departmental collaborative project in a municipal organization
Fredrik Sunnemark, Wilma Lundqvist-Westin, Tamy Al Saad, Per Assmo
Achieving Quality Education through Internationalization using Digital Technology : Reflections on a Collaborative International Masters Programme in Work-Integrated Political Studies
Fredrik Sunnemark, Wilma Lundqvist-Westin, Per Assmo, Laurence Piper
Kunskap och lärande genom projektsamverkan : utmaningar och möjligheter. Följeforskning av ett samverkansprojekt i Vänersborgs kommun.
Tamy Al Saad, Wilma Lundqvist-Westin, Per Assmo, Fredrik Sunnemark
Segregationen i Trollhättan : en lägesrapport
Ludvig Sunnemark, Fredrik Sunnemark, Per Assmo
International collaboration in the new WIL PhD programme at University West
Per Assmo
Låga skolresultat i socialt utsatta områden : Faktorer, utmaningar och lösningar - en fallstudie i Trollhättans stad
Wilma Lundqvist-Westin, Per Assmo, Fredrik Sunnemark
Hälsofrämjande integration och jämlik folkhälsa : Ett forsknings- och utvecklingsprojekt i samarbete mellan Högskolan Väst och Uddevalla kommun
Per Assmo, Thomas Winman, Marie Vesterlind
Kompetensutveckling för kunskapsförsörjning inom skola och utbildning
Erika Karlsson, Wilma Lundqvist-Westin, Per Assmo
Taking Care Seriously : Transforming Practices by Design
Anna Sigridur Islind, Ulrika Lundh Snis, Tomas Lindroth, Per Assmo
Work Integrated Learning through an R&D Project : A Case Study of Participant´s learning processes in an Integration Project between Uddevalla municipality and University West, Sweden
Thomas Winman, Per Assmo
A Time-geographic Appraisal for Local Sustainable Development
Per Assmo
International collaboration for pedagogical innovation : Understanding multiracial interaction through a time-geographic appraisal
Per Assmo, Roddy Fox
Local alternative development through a time-spatial lens : A case study of Ydre inspired by Hägerstrand
Per Assmo, Elin Wihlborg
An Alternative Time-Spatial Approach Towards Post-Monetarism
Per Assmo, Elin Wihlborg
Turning Time-Spatial Modes : An Alternative Perspective to Integrate Environmental-economic Processes of Change
Per Assmo, Elin Wihlborg
Beyond the Economic Meanings of Development : A Discussion of Political-Geographical Constructions of Societal Development
Per Assmo, Elin Wihlborg
Creative industry cluster growth in a global economy : the example of Film in Väst, Sweden
Per Assmo
Research projects