Chapter 1. Introduction: Universities and the matter of mattering (Pauline Mattsson) -- Chapter 2. Engaging in societal collaboration through reflexivity: Experiences from a cross-disciplinary pilot course for faculty (Anna Jonsson) -- Chapter 3. Proximity and Inequality in Academia (Annika Ralfs) -- Chapter 4. Conceptualizing Scholar-Activism Through Scholar-Activist Accounts (Farzana Bashiri) -- Chapter 5. How promotion guidelines reflect Swedish higher education institutions’ societal collaboration strategies (Eugenia Perez Vico) -- Chapter 6. Will the center hold? What research centers do to universities and to societal challenges (Mats Benner) -- Chapter 7. Governing by organizing: The context of universities in Sweden (Ulrika Bjare) -- Chapter 8. Responsive Research Quality Articulations of the Humanities (Klara Müller) -- Chapter 9. Sources of policy: Knowledge brokering in governmental reports (Linus Salö) -- Chapter 10. Valorizing the humanities: Impact stories, acting spaces, and meandering knowledge flows (Eugenia Perez Vico).

Open Access

In an era of rapid change and increasing societal demands, the role of universities as knowledge producers and catalysts for change has come under scrutiny. This open access book offers a fresh perspective on the significance of universities in society, shedding light on how their knowledge can truly matter beyond academia. Drawing upon insightful inquiries from both the Swedish and international contexts, this volume delves into the multifaceted interactions between universities and various knowledge users, emphasizing the need for scholars to reflect on how their knowledge can become useful and applicable to wider society. Organized into three compelling themes, collaboration, engagement, and impact, this book explores the concept of "mattering". Together and jointly, they point at the fluid movement of scholars and scholarly knowledge across academic, political, and public spaces, and the intentional actions of scientists to leverage their expertise for real-worldimpact. Essential reading for social science and humanities scholars, university management professionals, and individuals keen on a critical understanding of the evolving role of universities, this volume offers a comprehensive examination of how universities have mattered, continue to matter, and can shape the future.

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