Tag: Narrative capital

On Air with Swedish Radio (P4 Väst): Climbing and Rural Place Identity

On 7 October, I met with Sveriges Radio P4 Väst in Brodalen to discuss our study on climbing as a serious leisure activity and its connection to rural development. The interview was recorded on location, and a shorter version was later published online.

The recording expands on our recent article in the World Leisure Journal, which examines how climbing contributes to Brodalen’s evolving identity as both a village and a destination. Through long-term engagement, outdoor activities like climbing support place attachment, social bonds, and local initiatives, which we describe in the study as forms of narrative and symbolic value.

I was joined on air by Liz Lamora, who moved to Brodalen from the United States; Michael Buder, originally from Austria; and Patrik “Padde” Svensson, who recently relocated his outdoor shop Fjällsport from Gothenburg to the village. Each of them shared reflections on living, climbing, and building community in Brodalen, contributing perspectives that help ground the research in everyday experience.

You can listen to the shorter version here:
“Liz moved from the US to Brodalen – to climb” (1:33 min)

The full broadcast from October 7 (segment begins at approx. 1:06:10) is available here:
Listen to the full program

P.S. If you’re passing through Brodalen, I can recommend visiting Fjällsport, located next to the bouldering hall near Bro Coworking in the heart of the village, by the crags.

Public Defence of My Doctoral Thesis

I am pleased to share that I will defend my doctoral thesis in International Marketing at School of Business and Economics at Åbo Akademi University on Friday, May 2, 2025. The public defence will take place in the Stora auditoriet, ASA, Vänrikinkatu 3, Turku, and it will also be possible to follow the event online. The title of my dissertation is The Narrative Capital of the Place – Value Dynamics in Place Identity and Branding.

I am pleased to share that I will defend my doctoral thesis in International Marketing at the School of Business and Economics at Åbo Akademi University on Friday, May 2, 2025. The public defence will take place in the Stora auditoriet, ASA, Vänrikinkatu 3, Turku, and will also be possible to follow online.

The title of my dissertation is The Narrative Capital of the Place – Value Dynamics in Place Identity and Branding.

Summary

At the defence, Docent Anna Sörensson from Mid Sweden University will serve as opponent, and Professor Bengt Kristensson Uggla from Åbo Akademi University will act as custos.

You can read more about the dissertation and find the full text through Åbo Akademi University’s webpage here or access it via the Doria publication archive.

Read more about the defence here.

In his dissertation, Joakim Lind examines how stories and narratives function as analytical and strategic resources that shape place identity and value. Drawing on three qualitative case studies, the dissertation explores how narrative processes contribute to creating both intangible assets and tangible value in the context of place branding and development.

The three cases include the popular cultural narratives related to Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy in Stockholm and Sweden, the Tom Tits Experiment Science Center in Södertälje, and the climbing community in Brodalen on Sweden’s west coast. These cases illustrate how narratives are co-produced by diverse actors, circulate across time and space, and generate economic, social, cultural, and symbolic value in various ways.

A central concept in the dissertation is narrative capital, which describes how narratives can serve as long-term resources for the identity and positioning of places. By combining theories from place branding, narrative theory, spatial theory, and value theory, the study proposes an analytical framework for understanding the interplay between narrative, place, and value.

Narrative capital is defined as a meaning-bearing structure that fosters continuity and change in place development. It influences how local actors and external stakeholders perceive and interact with a place. In the dissertation, the author illustrates that these processes are essential for understanding how places are shaped, managed, and negotiated within broader societal and cultural contexts.

The study offers practical implications for policymakers, place developers, and stakeholders working at the intersection of communication, culture, media, and societal development. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing narrative as a strategic and analytical resource in inclusive place branding.

If you would like a printed copy of my dissertation, I would be happy to send it to you. Read more here.

PS. I am more than happy to give lectures to present my research project, You are welcome to contact me if you want to know more.

/ Joakim Lind