Johan Gärde

The Department of Social Work

Title: Lecturer, international coordinator

Phone: +46-76 636 50 03

Mail: johan.garde@mchs.se

Address: Marie Cederschiöld högskola, Box 11189, 100 61 Stockholm
Visiting address: Folkungagatan 127

Field of work

Johan is an Associate Professor in Sociology of Religion at Uppsala University and a trained social worker with extensive international experience from Latin America and the MENA region. His work bridges research, teaching, and development cooperation on religion, social work, and sustainable development in a global context.

Johan Gärde's research focuses on the connections between religion, social change and sustainable development, with a particular focus on the 2030 Agenda and the role of faith-based organisations in poverty reduction and social cohesion.

Current research interests:

  • Religion and development in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • Faith-based welfare work and interfaith social work (diakonia, caritas, zakat)
  • Religion and values in the social dimension of sustainable development
  • Changing religiosity and the social engagement of religious communities in Europe.

Johan collaborates with researchers in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Previously, he has participated in research funded by the Swedish Research Council on global Shia Islam and in the World Values Survey in the Middle East. He has presented his research at a large number of international conferences, including in Gothenburg, Bucharest, Cape Town, Vancouver and San Francisco.

Johan teaches international and intercultural social work, sociology of religion, and global social change. He coordinates the annual Global Sessions, bringing together students from around ten countries to explore themes in sustainable development. Johan has lectured in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia, and authored the textbook Religion and Social Work (Studentlitteratur, 2014).

As an international coordinator, Johan has developed strategic partnerships with universities and organizations worldwide. He has collaborated with UNICEF, the Folke Bernadotte Academy, and the Stockholm City Mission, and contributed to building the first social work education program in Erbil, Iraq. Johan's work contributes to stronger links between academia, civil society, and global development practice.

For more info cf.: johangarde.com

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Publications

Karin Gerhardt, Deliang Chen, Alasdair Skelton, Johan Gärde, Åsa Kneck (2022). Nog nu, politiker – ta klimatkrisen på allvar: 1 944 svenska forskare och anställda i forskarvärlden: Vad är det ni inte förstår?
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Peter Dobers, Gawell Malin, Johan Gärde, Stefan Silfverskiöld (2022). PROCEEDINGS of the 28th Annual Conference, International Sustainable Development Research Society: Sustainable Development and Courage: Culture, Art and Human Rights
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Mansour Moaddel, Jean Kors, Johan Gärde (2022). Religious fundamentalism, liberal nationalism, and sectarian solidarity among Lebanese
Johan Gärde (2020). Livets mening i nya paradigm
Johan Gärde (2020). On Bonding and Bridging Trust in a Multiconfessional Context: Who can I trust in Lebanon and Beyond?
Johan Gärde (2020). The church, faith-based organisations and the three sectors
Johan Gärde (2019). The Routinisation of Authority: A Comparative Perspective on Marginalisation, Socio-economic Factors and Perceptions on Authority in Contemporary Shiʿa Islam
Riyadh Al-Baldawi, Johan Gärde, Kjell-Åke Nordquist, Johanna Schiratzki, Leif Stenberg (2018). Underskatta inte religiös extremism
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Johan Gärde (2017). Concepts on Zakat, Caritas, and Diaconia in the changing social welfare landscape of Europe
Johan Gärde (2017). Intercultural social work in hybrid welfare provision for refugees and migrants in Sweden
Johan Gärde (2017). Intervention logics in global and international poverty reduction schemes for the extreme poor and the most deprived with a focus on wellbeing and health
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Johan Gärde (2016). ”Fred i Syrien skulle inte betyda fred i Mellanöstern”
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Johan Gärde (2015). “How to bake the iraqi cake before consuming the ingredients”: or implementing human development in times of chaos and turmoil
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Johan Gärde (2015). Shrinking Religious Communities and Thriving Interreligious Social Work in Postsecular Sweden
Johan Gärde (2014). Crossroads Metodhandbok: En samarbetsmodell för att motverka utestängning av fattiga och arbetssökande EU- och tredjelandsmedborgare
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Johan Gärde (2014). Kristna i Libanon: klämda mellan arabism och nationalism
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Johan Gärde (2014). Religion och socialt arbete
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Hilal Khashan, Johan Gärde (2013). Democratic Values in Lebanon's Segmented Politics
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Johan Gärde (2013). Diapraxis. Interkulturell och religiös samvaro/dialog som metod i socialt arbete: En metodhandbok
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Johan Gärde (2012). Patterns of Religiosity among Sunnis, Shias, and Christians in Lebanon's Multiconfessional Context
Mansoor Moaddel, Jean Kors, Johan Gärde (2012). Sectarianism and Counter-Sectarianism in Lebanon
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Johan Gärde (2009). Faith-Based Organisations and the Configuration of Civil Society in the MENA-perspective
Johan Gärde (2008). Faith Based Organizations and Secular Organizations as Social Provisions Providers in a Developing Context: The Case of Lebanon
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Johan Gärde (2008). Watching Muslims on TV – on bonding and bridging social trust
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Johan Gärde (2006). Alla friheter kräver ansvarstagande
Johan Gärde (2006). Freivalds visade kurage
Johan Gärde (2004). Suède : oui, mais à l’élargissement
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Johan Gärde (1999). Från invandrarkyrka till mångkulturellt samfund: En kyrkosociologisk analys av katolska kyrkan i Sverige från 1970-tal till 1990-tal
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Johan Gärde (1999). Katolicismen i Sverige – mångfaldens kyrka

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Last updated:
29 October 2025