Mikael Lundholm

Tell us about Mikael Lundholm.

I am a jurist who had the great opportunity to complete my doctorate in sociology of law at Lund University. Unlike traditional legal studies, sociology of law is an empirical discipline that examines how law actually functions (or doesn't) in society. Transitioning from thinking about legal issues primarily in normative terms as a jurist to learning empirical methods and social science theories to understand our world has been very exciting and stimulating for me! I worked for many years as a lawyer at the Swedish Enforcement Authority, specializing in debt collection.

After completing my doctorate, I felt it was time to try something new where I could apply my research skills. Since January 2023, I have been employed full-time in the field of law, where I feel very comfortable. I am driven by the opportunity to conduct socially relevant research, preferably in collaboration with authorities and organizations outside academia, and by making a difference in the lives of young people as a teacher.

Describe your research.

In my research, I am interested in how different regulatory regimes and mechanisms affect citizens' access to welfare services. The welfare state offers a range of services to achieve social and economic goals, ranging from schools to assistance for the most vulnerable and needy. However, citizens' access to these welfare services depends on how they are regulated and implemented. In my research, I aim to study and understand this fascinating intersection between regulation and welfare.

On an empirical level, I examine this intersection in terms of the support and opportunities provided to over-indebted households. In today's society, debt is a normal and almost inevitable part of life. However, over-indebtedness is associated with difficult living conditions for families and children, such as increased risk of mental health problems, and a significant costs for society. It is therefore important to provide pathways out of over-indebtedness.

One possibility is debt relief through the Swedish Enforcement Authority. Another option is the support offered by municipalities through budget and debt counseling. Both debt relief and budget and debt counseling are examples of welfare services that, based on how the regulatory framework is designed and implemented, influence which over-indebted individuals utilize them and which are excluded. By studying which over-indebted households utilize these welfare services, I aim to gain a better understanding of how regulations and practices can be designed to help these households.

How did you become interested in this area?

I worked for many years at the Swedish Enforcement Authority, where I became interested in the preventive measures the authority could take in relation to over-indebted households, i.e., working to help them get out of over-indebtedness. What I observed was that many over-indebted individuals seemed reluctant to apply for debt relief, resulting in their situation remaining unchanged for a long time. At that time, I was a doctoral student funded by the Swedish Enforcement Authority.

My doctoral project focused on the authority's forced sales of homes. It may seem unrelated to debt relief, but I began to see patterns in how the possibility of debt repayment and the coercive nature of the forced sale process were influenced by the socio-economic status of the debtors, how banks complied with the regulations in their debt collection practices, and how the Swedish Enforcement Authority applied the regulations. In this sense, forced sales are also a welfare service aimed at helping citizens in a similar way as debt relief, and they include and exclude citizens in different ways. I began to see the importance of regulatory regimes and mechanisms in both cases and thought that there were interesting similarities and differences between the two cases worth exploring.

Why is your research needed?

Difficulties in managing debt and over-indebtedness affect many households. These households often experience health and well-being issues. We need knowledge on how the welfare state can assist these households and prevent more households from falling into over-indebtedness. This knowledge can also help us understand the effectiveness of other welfare services targeted at vulnerable groups.

How do you divide your time between research and teaching?

During the period 230701-251231, I am funded at 20% by the Jan Wallander and Tom Hedelius Foundation and the Tore Browaldh Foundation to study how the selling price in the Swedish Enforcement Authority's forced sales of homes is affected by whether the property is sold at public auction or through a real estate agent (the project leader is Mattias Nordin at Uppsala University).

Dream scenario in terms of your job?

As a newcomer to academia, having just completed my doctorate in December 2021, I am still exploring different aspects. My ambition is to be able to devote at least half of my time to research, so I have invested a lot of time and energy in applying for external research funding. Furthermore, the Law department at Mid Sweden University, where I am employed, has an exciting three-year program in administrative law that I would like to contribute to and help develop.