Owning or Sharing?

Has the rise of ownership societies fostered a prosperous middle-class – or has it fuelled growing inequality and social instability?

Over the past decades, Western societies have actively promoted ownership of housing and financial assets as the main road to financial well-being. Today, households find themselves squeezed between this ideal of ownership and threats of asset deflation and over-indebtedness. Meanwhile, the ongoing climate crisis has intensified debates around sharing economies, challenging the ethics of private wealth accumulation. 

These tensions are explored during the symposium Owning or Sharing, where six invited researchers from different academic fields will present their work on topics such as wealth inequality, ownership ideologies, finfluencers, and sharing economies. The symposium is followed by a public panel discussion with representatives from the media and civil society. Read full programme below.

Presenters: Jan Bolmeson | Martin Dackling | Melissa García | Liza Jakobsson | Isa Lappalainen | Anders Lund Hansen | Jane Pettersson | Lena Pettersson | Marthe Nehl | Jacob Ørmen

Participant information

• When: 13.15–16.30 (Symposium), 17.15–18.30 (Panel discussion), April 21, 2026.
• Where: The symposium is held in LUX B:339. The panel discussion is held in LUX C:121. Both rooms are located at Helgonavägen 3, Lund.  
• Who: The symposium is intended for researchers and students. The public panel discussion is open to everyone.
• How: The symposium is free of charge, lunch and snacks are complimentary. The symposium is now full, but you can fill out this form to be added to the waiting list, and we'll get in touch should a space open up. You do not need to register for the panel discussion. 

The symposium is a collaboration between Charlotte Nilsson (Lund University/Copenhagen Business School), Axel Vikström (Lund university), and the Centre for Oresund Region Studies. The symposium has recieved funding from Vetenskapsrådet, the Swedish Research Council.

Programme

Symposium

 LUX B:339

from 12.30   Sandwiches served 
13.15         Introduction
                          Charlotte Nilsson, Lund University / Copenhagen Business School
13.30         Ownership societies in historical perspectives 
                          Isa Lappalainen, Uppsala University
                          Martin Dackling, Lund University
14.15          Short break
14.30         Sharing economies
                          Melissa García, Lund University
                          Anders Lund Hansen, Lund University
15.15          Coffee break
15.45         Investing in the asset economy (housing and equity)
                          Liza Jakobsson, Södertörn University
                          Jacob Ørmen, Copenhagen University
16.30         Sparkling & snacks

Panel Discussion

 LUX:C121

Please note, the panel discussion will be in Swedish, and is open to the public.

17.15-18.30    Public panel discussion, moderated by Axel Vikström
                          Lena Pettersson, SVT (Sveriges Television)
                          Jan Bolmeson, Rika Tillsammans
                          Marthe Nehl, ”Backa kåken”/Lund University
                          Jane Pettersson, Gothenburg University