David Ekdahl

I am Assistant Professor at the Department of Public Health, Aarhus University. Drawing on phenomenology and qualitative methods, I am especially interested in what happens to the body, and to the person, as human life becomes enmeshed with digital environments. My work spans esports and embodiment, online spaces for autistic people, digital wellbeing for vulnerable groups, as well as human-AI interaction, especially with regard to questions of responsibility. I teach philosophy of science, ethics and qualitative methods at BA and MA level.

My main research areas are embodiment and virtuality. I am also engaged in the ongoing issue of how to integrate philosophical phenomenology with qualitative research methods. 

My research focuses on the place and role of the body in different real-life, virtual contexts, including professional esports performance, as well as the bodily signifiance of online spaces for vulnerable groups, especially autistic people.

I teach philosophical courses on science, methodology and ethics at Aarhus University. My teaching builds on interactive, discussion-based forms of learning of a Socratic nature - something that, in my view, requires an inclusive and diversity-aware learning environment, as well as a teacher who is passionate about what they teach.

I am course coordinator for the following courses:

• Philosophy of Science and Ethics (Applied Public Health)  - 10 ECTS
• Sport and Ethics (Sports Science, MA) - 10 ECTS
• Introduction to Qualitative Methods (Sports Science) - 5 ECTS

Sport og Etik (Idræt, KA) - 10 ECTS
Introduktion til Kvalitative Metoder (Idræt) - 5 ECTS

In addition to my active international research collaborations, I am co-founder, together with Sofie Boldsen (University of Copenhagen) and Emily Hughes (Macquarie University), of the Phenomenology of Autism Research Network. I am actively engaged in collaborations with a number of national stakeholders, including:

• The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF)
• The Elsass Foundation
• Capital Region of Denmark (Mental Health Centre Sankt Hans)
• Region of Southern Denmark (Esbjerg)
• Aarhus Municipality (Paradigmeskiftet; Kragelund)
• Center for Digital Pædagogics 
• The Danish Centre for Gambling Addiction
• Esport Danmark
• The Gaming Alliance
• Astralis
• The Danish Autism and Asperger Association 

In addition to my research, including research leadership of several funded projects, and my teaching, I supervise BA and MA students as well as several early-career researchers. I hold editorial responsibilities for the journals Disability & Society and Sport & Society, and I am co-founder of the Phenomenology of Autism Research Network (PARN). I am an academic member of the Board of Studies for Sport Science at Aarhus University.

Interdisciplinary research networks

• Co-founder and co-lead, Phenomenology of Autism Research Network (Aarhus University, University of Copenhagen, Macquarie University, University of Exeter, Tilburg University)
• Member, Applied Phenomenology Research Network, University of Southern Denmark
• Member, Gaming and Society Research Network (GAS), Aalborg University
• Member, Danish Network for Autism Researchers

Other academic services

• Chair of several hiring committees, Aarhus University (2024–)
• Reviewer for national and international funding bodies, including the National Science Centre (Poland) and the Obel Family Foundation
• Assessor of international PhD dissertations
• Academic member of the Board of Studies, Department of Public Health (Sport Science), Aarhus University
• Judge, The National Ethics Cup, University of St Andrews
• Peer reviewer for journals including Philosophy & Technology, Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, Frontiers in Psychology, Topoi, Disability & Society, and Autism
• Organiser of international conferences, most recently 'Embodying Divergence' (Aarhus University, 2026)
• Member of the Talent Research Committee, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark (2017–2020)