Jonathan, you’re currently in Lund as International Fellow at Pufendorf IAS, connected to the Theme Neurotechnologies.
What is your background and research interests?
I originally studied languages – Russian, Czech and French – then went on to study Environmental Economics as I was interested in climate change policy way back in the early 2000s. I was working for a company in California, Berkeley was such a great place for inspiration: I studied online for an master of Arts with the Open University, flying back from time to time to sit exams in the UK. I then went on to study for a master of Laws, after a brief stint at the UN in Scotland, and found a PhD scholarship at the European University Institute through working with the EU Commission on surveillance and human rights. It was quite a circuitous journey! My main research focus now is, broadly, on emerging tech and their impact on human rights.
What made you accept the invitation to come to Lund and work with this Theme – “what’s in it for you”?
I was really interested in the approach of the Pufendorf, with the focus on bringing people from different backgrounds, different specialities. I felt it was an opportunity to learn from others, widen my perspective. I was also keen to explore Skåne and, more widely, experience living and working in Sweden. My parents has lived in Uppsala, worked at the university in the early 1970s: had memories of a kid seeing the cine 8 film they shot, and the stories of life in Sweden then. I was excited to come here!
What do think your main contribution to the Theme – or indeed Pufendorf IAS – will be?
I hope I bring the perspectives from the places I’ve worked, the experiences in particular from Geneva and working with many nations in the international sphere of multilateral institutions such as the UN Human Rights Council, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) – we have already made some progress on developing frameworks to guide the development of neurotechnologies while safeguarding human rights.
We haven’t missed the fact that you embody “the global researcher” – is there a country you haven’t been to? (Rhetorical question). If you could summarise Swedish Academia as you’ve experienced it so far in three sentences?
It’s very collaborative, built on consensus – it’s much easier here to settle in quickly and feel comfortable: I believe people here give more time to listen to others. It’s less individualistic than in some other countries. I enjoy the atmosphere here, the environment. I see there’s more of a focus on sustainability too, which I believe is critical: education is so much broader than our own personal goals, and we need to think about how we protect our environment and support future generations.
We’re proud of our Institute for Advances Studies, but even marvellous things could be improved – any thoughts that could help us?
That’s a hard one: I really find it hard to see a fault! Perhaps just one thing: a bit of university level onboarding to provide context, get to know the rest of the university and what’s going on. I’d like to get involved in a lot of activities and meet people from many of the departments while I’m here. That. And the safety lock on your Swedish ovens – impossible to master if one hand is occupied holding something heavy going in the oven. Which, frankly, is often the case.
Jonathan Andrew is an International Fellow connected to the Pufendorf Theme: Neurotechnologies: Delivering their responsible development and use. Read more about this Theme on our website: