Åsa Thelander

Background

In 2002 I completed my PhD at Lund University in Media and Communication Studies at Lund University. I am now Associate Professor at the Department of Strategic Communication. I have served as Head of the former department of communication studies 2008-2011 and been programme coordinator for the Bachelor programme in Strategic communication. From 2003 until 2008 I was a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Service Management. During the same period I was programme coordinator for Retail Studies and Tourism Studies in the Service Management Programme. I was appointed excellent teaching practitioner (ETP) by the Faculty of Social Science in 2013.

Area of Research

My academic and research interest are focused on the relationship between consumers and organizations. In my dissertation I studied the role of advertising for consumers’ expectations on, experience of and memory from a charter trip. Since then I have been involved in a cross disciplinary and international research project on consumers’ relation to an international retail brand. I have also been involved in projects focused on crises communication. A recent research project consists of analysis of communication strategies for involving consumers in the brand. Other research areas of great interest are the role of visual communication, visual strategies and visual methods. Most studies are based on qualitative methodology such as interviews, observations and analyses of images.

Selection of recent projects

• Communication for innovation in urban environments. Communication opportunities and challenges for the urban renewal project H +. (2011-2013) Financed by Plattformen. Head of project.
• Co-creation in visual new media: Examining the experiences, conditions, and consequences. (2013-2014) Financed by NEMO.

Teaching

I teach a range of courses at undergraduate and post graduate level at the Department of Strategic Communication and other departments and programmes at Lund University. These courses and modules include qualitative methods and methodology, theories of consumption, risk and crises communication, branding and advertising. At present supervision of doctoral and master students take up most of my teaching involvement.