Josefin Persdotter

Josefin Persdotter holds a PhD in Sociology and works as a postdoctoral researcher in the Science, Technology, and Society (STS) division at the Department of Technology Management and Economics. Her research primarily focuses on hygiene technologies and menstruation.

In an ongoing postdoctoral project (FORMAS 2025–2027), Persdotter compares Swedish and Finnish bathroom standards and their impact on menstruating individuals. Central to the study is the bidet shower, a standard feature in Finland (and many other countries) but virtually unknown in Sweden. The bidet shower is known to have positive effects for both menstruating individuals and the environment. Why did this hygiene technology gain acceptance in Finland but not in Sweden? How does the shower affect the quality of life for menstruants?

In her doctoral dissertation, Menstrual Dirt (2022), at the University of Gothenburg, Persdotter explored how menstruation is perceived as dirty in the interaction between humans and technology, and how hygiene technologies shape the experience of being a woman and a menstruant. The dissertation centered technologies such as sanitary pads and menstrual cups and was awarded the Swedish Sociological Association’s prize for best dissertation. Vetenskapsradion also featured an episode about the dissertation, which is available on the Sveriges Radio website.

Persdotter serves on the board of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research and, together with a research team, runs the network Menstrual Studies in Scandinavia.

Outside academia, Persdotter recently co-authored a handbook on adapting workplace environments for menstruation and menopause, in collaboration with the organization MENSEN – Forum for Menstruation.