Per Boström

Administrative responsibilities

Since 2021, I hold the appointment of Director of Studies at the Department for Language Studies. My areas of responsibilities are, e.g., the departments' course offerings, syllabi, and disciplinary matters. I am also the main contact person for all education related matters at the department.

Research

In september 2018 I successfully defended my PhD thesis in Swedish/Scandinavian languages titled ”Det här är ju dött tåg liksom…”: en studie av metaforer för ROMANTISK KÄRLEK i talad svenska. In the thesis I investigate metaphors used for romantic love. Results show that love is metaphorized mainly as an object, a container, a journey or a unity.  

Areas of interest: Cognitive Linguistics, metaphor, discourse analysis, embodied cognition, writing, democracy, children’s language development, sociolinguistics, political metaphor discourse, forensic linguistics, etc.

I am currently involved in a multidisciplinary research project:

• A VR-funded project called Writing as nutrition for democracies (VR 2018-03779). In the project, with Eva Lindgren as principal investigator, we investigate opinions on democracy and how the act of writing can be a way of participate in and make a difference in a democratic society. Partcipating in the project is also Carina Hermansson, Peter Ström, Erika Sturk and Anna Nilsson.

Teaching

I teach sociolinguistics, children’s language development, metaphor (theory and method), academic writing, text analysis, forensic linguistics. I supervise BA- and MA- theses, also theses within teacher education, in Swedish/Scandinavian Languages, Swedish as a second language and English. I also evaluate teacher students in their practical training in schools.

Supervision

I am currently co-supervisor for Kajsa Törmä's project on linguistic representations of (outer) space from a Cognitive Linguistic perspective.

I am head supervisor for Janica Jokela's project on language policy and planning focussing on Miänkieli. 

Networks

(W)rights

CogLing Umeå

MetNet Scandinavia

SALC (The Scandinavian Association for Language & Cognition)

Media participation (a selection)

• Så uttrycker vi kärlek! - Radio interview in Swedish national radio (Morgon P4 Uppland) (in Swedish).
• Så pratar vi om kärlek: "Vad tråkiga de unga är!”. TV Interview in Swedish TV (TV4:s Nyhetsmorgon) (In Swedish).
• Språkforskaren: Så pratar vi om romantisk kärlek – Interview for Umeå Tidning (local newspaper).
• Har du lätt för att säga ”Jag älskar dig”? – Lättare för yngre att tala om känslor. Article for Svenska Yle (Finnish TV and Radio).