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Linda Nør­gaard Mad­sen

PhD fellow

Subjects
Organisation Qualitative methods Society Welfare Sociology

Primary research areas

Frontline work

I am interested in how frontline workers navigate institutional demands, emotional challenges, and everyday encounters with citizens in their professional roles within welfare state settings.

Vulnerability

I am interested in how welfare institutions perceive and respond to vulnerability - including how gender and minority status, and other social factors shape who is seen as vulnerable and deserving of help. I am particularly interested in how vulnerability is understood, categorized, and managed in welfare state settings.

Sociology of emotions

In my PhD project, my main theoretical framework is the sociology of emotions. I use this framework to explore how emotions are shaped by organizations, social norms, roles and social interactions – and how they in turn influence professional practices and interactions with citizens.

Policing

My research engages with extensive literature on policing, exploring how it is shaped by social, emotional, and institutional dynamics. Specifically, I focus on police officers’ experiences of working with intimate partner violence cases, highlighting the challenges and complexities they face in this demanding area of policing.

Intimate partner violence

My work contributes to the growing literature on intimate partner violence by exploring how police officers experience and manage these cases. I focus on how emotional demands, victim perceptions, and professional expectations shape their experiences and practices.

Qualitative methods

I am broadly interested in qualitative methods as a way to explore how people make sense of their work, roles, and experiences. I am particularly drawn to in-depth interviews and case-based approaches that can capture emotional, relational, and contextual dimensions of professional practice.

I explore how welfare institutions meet vulnerability

Research interests: Emotions, welfare institutions and social problems 

My academic background is in sociology, and my research interests center around how public welfare institutions respond to vulnerability and social problems – and how frontline workers experience the encounter with the citizens they serve. I am particularly interested in emotional dynamics, tensions, and challenges in this work. 

 

PhD project: Police officers’ experiences of working with intimate partner violence 

My PhD explores how police officers experience working with intimate partner violence cases. Using qualitative interviews, I examine how they perceive victims, approach psychological violence, and navigate emotional tensions. The aim is to better understand the challenges police officers face to inform efforts to improve victims’ encounters with the legal system. 

Outside activities

2025

No outside activities to report