Published: 2021-03-23

After six years of doctoral education PhD student Louise Klintner will defend her thesis 16 April. Get a quick glimpse of her thesis, experiences and near future.

Louise Klintner will defend her thesis 16 April at LUSEM. Photo: Emilie Hesselbo

Hi Louise!

You are about to defend your thesis Normalizing the Natural: A study of menstrual product destigmatization. In short, what is your thesis about?

"My thesis is about how stigmatized products are becoming increasingly normalized through certain ongoing mechanisms and forces. My study shows how these mechanisms and forces work on all three levels of society: institutional, individual and organizational, specifically in terms of the destigmatization of menstrual products."

In three words, how would you describe your years as a PhD student at LUSEM?

Broadening

"Even though some consider my topic rather narrow (with which I tend to respond by pointing out the many people affected by menstrual product stigma), the many courses I have taken have broadened my perspectives as a researcher. Particularly interesting were those given in the interdisciplinary 2030 Agenda program where I was able to learn and get feedback from students and teachers from across the world and disciplines."

Challenging

"As I’m sure most PhD students can relate to, finding the right way forward for my particular topic hasn’t always been obvious - especially since there is very little research on stigmatized products. I found this quite surprising since stigma evidently has significant effects on markets and business, generally."

Inspiring

"Even though I left High school saying I’d never study business again, I found myself at the business program in Lund two years later. Graduating from Civilekonom-programmet another four years thereafter saying I’d never do a PhD, I find myself defending my doctoral thesis six years later. Throughout my time as a PhD student I have, as you may suspect, thought I probably wouldn’t stay in academia after my defense. Nonetheless, I am now considering continuing my research on stigmatized products as a post doc. This is largely due to the inspiration I have gotten from working with a project that felt meaningful and from the warm reception my work has gotten, generally. Encouragement has not least come from teachers on the program but also from other students as well as through the media attention I have received, primarily for my work with menstrual product standardization."

What are you up to now?

"Right now I am awaiting my finished books, which are being printed, and looking forward to my ‘spikning’ on the 25th March. In the meantime I am preparing for my thesis defense, as well as forging plans for what’s going to happen thereafter."

Thank you, Louise! Wishing you all the best!