Date: Sat, 26 Aug 1995 16:28:32 +0200 (MSZ)
From: Bj|rn Skolander <Bjorn.Skolander@nordiska.uu.se>


BENNY HENRIKSSON 1947-1995

The Swedish researcher and author Benny Henriksson has died at the age of
48. Earlier this year he took his doctor's degree in social work at the
university of Gothenburg.

Benny Henriksson had a passionate love relation to his work. He lived with
it for 24 hours a day, and had thefore often an advantage over us, his
fellows. The latest books were already in his research library long before
we even knew they existed.

He was like that. Persistant, devoted but without boasting, he set to work
at important and complicated research objects. The latest years his research
dealt mostly with hiv and homosexuality, about risktaking, exposure and love
between gay men. Before that he had devoted himself to youth research.

For fifteen years, in the 70's and 80's, he was affiliated with The National
Youth Council. During this period he produced several influential works
reagarding the lives of young people in today's society. Benny Henriksson
had the ability to transform the results of his research into exciting,
relevant and often provocative texts.

After the years at the Youth Council he launched his own Institute for
Social Research and a publishing house. He wanted to be independent and to
be able to devote himself to the issue that was closest to his heart: to do
research and to write about homosexuality. For several years the project
maker Benny Henriksson got an outlet for his inventiveness and versatility.
His main concern was Lambda Nordica, a popular science magazine dealing with
homosexuality. To the content it was an extraordinary success; pioneering
and ahead of its time, with contributions from the internationally most
well-known researchers in this field. His network to international
researchers was considerable. Financially, however, it was a disaster, and
the lack of money predicted harder times for the fierce entrepreneur.

In the early 90's he then looked for a new platform for his work. He re-
established his contact with the university, a world he had had an
ambivalent relation towards since his years of studies at Uppsala university
in the 70's. He collaborated readily with other researchers, but distrusted
the institution in society they belonged to. However, he applied for the PhD
programme at the Department of Social Studies at Gothenburg university. And
all of a sudden he stood there in the corridor with all his books,
accompanied by his wilful dog Gorba Tjoff.

In the foreword to his esteemed doctor's dissertation, which he defended
earlier this year, he writes that he was concerned about the reactions of
his colleagues at the department regarding his choice of subject: homosexual
love and sexuality. His concerns was of course motivated. He carried some
gloomy experiences with him from his earlier life. The truth is, however,
that this creative and inventive researcher conquered the department by his
charm.

Sven-Axel Mansson. Professor of social work

Margot Wallstroem. Minister of culture

Source: Svenska Dagbladet. August 23, 1995.

PS: According to another Swedish newspaper Benny Henriksson died of aids-
related symptoms.

Translated by Bjorn Skolander <bjorn.skolander@nordiska.uu.se>