Two leading researchers receive honorary doctorates in social science

Just over 20 years ago, political scientist Cynthia Enloe opened up new doors in the field of International Relations. She called attention to phenomena that had not previously figured in US foreign policy; prostitution on military bases, sex tourism, the conditions for diplomats’ wives and women in domestic service. In May she will be presented with an honorary doctorate at Lund University. Economic geographer Meric Gertler, known for his research on regional development, will also receive an honorary doctorate on the same occasion.
Cynthia Enloe, a professor at Clark University in the USA, has played a decisive role in the success of gender studies in international relations research. She shows how masculine norms influence both the global economy and relations between countries.

Through studies of development, migration, international organisations, the tourist industry and the military, she shows how sexist norms and violence characterise many phenomena within these areas. Cynthia Enloe’s books are already studied by undergraduates at the University.

Her most well-known works include Bananas, Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics (1989), Maneuvers: The International Politics of Militarizing Women’s Lives (2007) and her book on the Iraq war; Nimo’s War, Emma’s War: Making Feminist Sense of the Iraq War (2010).
Meric Gertler, a professor and dean at the University of Toronto, has succeeded in combining academic leadership with cutting-edge research, which is no mean feat. He has developed economic geography research on innovation, labour markets and the importance of institutions for regional development. One of his most well-known works, Manufacturing Culture (2004), looks at institutional causes of the differences between business culture in North America and Europe.

He has also shown the importance of companies in the same sector being located in clusters. Despite the fact that modern technology offers all possibilities for remote communication, physical proximity is often important in facilitating knowledge transfer.

For the past 10 years, Meric Gertler has had close with Lund University; as a guest lecturer, a research group member, a faculty examiner at PhD defences and a member of the Board of CIRCLE, Lund’s centre for innovation research.

Cynthia Enloe and Meric Gertler will be presented with their honorary doctorates on 25 May.