Katarina Graffman

Katarina Graffman is Doctor in philosophy, in cultural anthropology, writer, and lecturer. Based on over 20 years of continuous anthropological studies of the human consumer, Katarina can map and, to some extent, predict human behavior, which is not least important when it comes to sustainable consumption. Katarina has paid special attention to media consumption and how people’s behaviors are changed by new media technology.

Katarina lectures on how people actually behave. An entertaining topic that arouses great curiosity. To understand actual humane behavior, you need to look at what people do, not what they say they do. Or, as Katarina puts it, “People do not say what they think, do not know what they feel and do not do as they say.” With her research and perspective, Katarina Graffman provides a more basic understanding of people’s real behaviors – every day and weekends, in big cities and in the countryside, in the grocery store and in the restaurant, at school and at work, in the living room and in the kitchen, in the shop and in front of the screen.

Because anthropological analyzes not only provide attitudes, people’s opinions, and thoughts, but rather actual unconscious behavior, and deep-rooted values, it is possible to develop brands, places, and organizations on a more thorough level. Katarina has worked with customers such as IKEA, Volvo, Björn Borg, Leksands Knäckebröd, Libero, Skanska, Swedish Radio, Keep Sweden Clean, BBC.

Katarina is often heard in the debate and is invited as an expert on sustainable consumption, changing consumption behaviors, and the workplace of the future. She has a podcast together with Daniel Nordström, a journalist, called “Graffman Nordström” – a podcast that broadens the perspective on how the media and the digital society affect people and their behavior. She also blogs at the magazine Resumé together with Jacob Östberg, professor of advertising and PR. She is also the host of the TV show “Prylberget” together with the Swedish comedian Robin Paulsson.

Katarina Graffman is the co-author of the books “We are what we buy” (2018) and “In search of the time to come” (2020).”