Per Assmo

Background 

During the 90’s, I worked as an SIDA expert in East Africa, and did field research. 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. While establishing one foot in Swedish academia, I also continued and expanded my research interests and networks on the African continent, especially South Africa. Already in year 2000, I initiated a long-standing education and research collaboration with the Geography Department at Rhodes University. In 2015 I initiated what has become 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 Professor at UWC. In short, I have more than 30 years’ experience of collaboration in development work, research, and university teaching in Africa.

In Sweden, I was appointed a position as senior lecturer at Göteborg University in 1999, primarily teaching development geography and development studies. In 2005, I was offered a position at University West, initially taking on responsibility for the field of Economic Geography, but soon started to develop and implement an international multidisciplinary undergraduate programme – The International Programme for Politics & Economics – launched at University West in 2006. Exploring a research interest in rural development I took on a position as part-time researcher and project coordinator at the Department for Management and Engineering at Linköping University during the period 2007-2015. However, I have always kept my base and main educational and research activities at University West. In 2018 I was appointed professor in Human and Economic Geography at University West. In recent years I have come to be more closely involved in research and education related to the field of Work Integrated Learning (WIL).

Research interests

I have a profound engagement and research interest focusing on the African continent, as well as in Sweden. My research interests have over the years come to include areas such as: Rural/Social/Environmental Sustainable Development, Creative Industries, Migration/Integration/Segregation, Internationalisation and Co-Creation of Knowledge in 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 30 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 Studies, 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 national and international experience as Supervisor at Honours/Master/PhD level, including institutions such as: University West, Linköping University, Göteborg University, Rhodes University, and University of the Western Cape. I have also been examiner committee member for PhD Degrees at various universities.

I currently hold positions including:

• Full Professor at University West
• Programme Director for the Master Programme in Work Integrated Political Studies, University West
• Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Studies, UWC
• Visiting Professor, Geography Department, Rhodes University
• University West coordinator 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

On-going R&D projects

• University West Research Project Leader for: Sustainability, Innovation and Resilience in Rural areas (SIRR), funded by EU Interreg North Sea program
• University West Project Leader & Coordinator for: South Africa Sweden Research Forum (SASUF) funded by STINT and NRF
• Project Leader for: International Development of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) as an Education and Applied Research Subject at Advanced Level, funded by University West strategic funds for internationalization of higher education
• Project Leader for: International Development of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) - A Collaboration between University West & University of the Western Cape, funded by STINT
• Project Leader for: Linnaeus-Palme Partnership between University West and South Africa, funded the Swedish Council for Higher Education

Key Words

Time-geography, Rural Development, Sustainable Development, Internationalisation, Development Theory & Practice, Integration, Migration, Political-Economy, Work Integrated Learning.

Publications (selection since 2010)

• 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. (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. Sunnemark, F. & Westin-Lundqvist, W. (2020). Låga skolresultat i socialt utsatta områden. Faktorer, utmaningar och lösningar – En fallstudie i Trollhättans stad. Rapporter i korthet. Högskolan Väst, Mångfaldcentrum.
• Assmo, P. & Nerelius, I. (2020). Hälsofrämjande integration. Resultat från en enkätundersökning med SFI deltagare i Uddevalla 2017. Rapporter i korthet. Högskolan Väst, Mångfaldcentrum.
• Assmo, P. Winman, T. & Westerlind, M. (2020). Hälsofrämjande integration och jämlik folkhälsa. Ett forsknings- och utvecklingsprojekt i samarbete mellan Högskolan Väst och Uddevalla kommun. Rapporter i korthet. Högskolan Väst, Mångfaldcentrum.
• Assmo, P. Sunnemark, F., Karlsson, E., & Westin-Lundqvist, W. (2020). Kompetensutveckling för kunskapsförsörjning inom skolan. En fallstudie i Uddevalla och Sotenäs kommuner. Rapporter i korthet. Högskolan Väst, Mångfaldcentrum.
• Assmo, P., Sunnemark, F. & L. Sunnemark (2021) Segregationen i Trollhättan: en lägesrapport. Rapporter i korthet. Högskolan Väst, Mångfaldcentrum.
• Assmo, P., Sunnemark, F. et al (2021) Ungdomars vardag i Trollhättan: Ungdomars bildberättelser under coronapandemin. Rapporter i korthet. Högskolan Väst, Mångfaldcentrum.
• Assmo, P., Sunnemark, F. et al (2022) Kunskap och lärande genom projektsamverkan: utmaningar och möjligheter. Följeforskning av ett samverkansprojekt i Vänersborgs kommun. Rapporter i korthet. Samskapande Hållbar Samhällsutveckling (SHS), Högskolan Väst.
• Assmo, P., Sunnemark, F. et al (2022) Stadsdelsexperter: Invånares röster i ett blandområde i Trollhättan. Ett FoU-projekt mellan Högskolan Väst och Trollhättans stad. Rapporter i korthet. Samskapande Hållbar Samhällsutveckling (SHS), Högskolan Väst.

Forthcoming in 2023-24

• Sunnemark, F., Assmo, P. & Jacobs, H. (xxxx) Co-Creating Work Integrated Learning Approaches Through International Partnership. Collaborative Education & Research for Societal Development. Studies in Continuing Education.
• Sunnemark, F., Assmo, P., Lundqvist-Westin, W., & Piper, L. (xxxx) Achieving Quality Education through Internationalization using Digital Technology: Reflections on a Collaborative International Masters Programme in Work-Integrated Political Studies. Studies in Continuing Education.
• Sunnemark, F., Assmo, P., Lundqvist-Westin, W., & Al Saad, T. (xxxx) Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to Knowledge Transfer and Learning Processes Through a Cross-Departmental Collaborative Project in a Municipal Organization. The Learning Organization.
• Sunnemark, F., Karlsson, E., Rudström, H., Gahnström, E. & Assmo, P. (xxxx) Social Sustainability for Whom? Developing an Analytical Approach Through a Tripartite Collaboration. Journal of Workplace Learning.