Bodil Hvass Kjems

Philosophy

Please tell us about your research project.

I am a PhD fellow in philosophy at the ERC-funded research project Women in the Nordic Enlightenment. My thesis focuses on three feminist male authors shaping how women’s intellectual capacities were conceptualised and practised in early modern Scandinavia. The purpose is to uncover and critically assess the renegotiation of learned women’s subjectivity as it was debated between men and women across genres; letters, catalogues, dissertations and satires.

Could you please tell us a bit more about your scholarship/exchange programme?

I have the privilege of being a resident at the MFO during the Michaelmas term 2026, which allows me to access the Bodleian Libraries as well as partake in the rich scholarly environment which characterises Oxford University. I was invited by Mogens Lærke, principal investigator of the ERC-funded research project on scientific consensus, NOTCOM, also housed by the MFO. This collaboration and network will be most useful for my research.  

First impressions of Oxford/the University?
It is very beautiful, both the old colleges but the nature as well. The energy from the students and academics inhabiting the town really motivate me to immerse myself in studies! The libraries are so quiet and the atmosphere is great. The MFO provides a wonderfully calm setting for focused research and for networking with peers.