Lena Sundström
A sharp and influential Swedish columnist whose incisive writing on society and politics blends a reporter's rigor with a distinctive personal voice.
Born 1972 (age 54)·Swedish journalist and author·Birthday: March 8·Generation X
Biography
Lena Sundström operates as a central voice in Swedish public discourse, wielding her column in Dagens Nyheter—one of the country's most prestigious newspapers—with clarity and conviction. Her background is in hard news reporting, which grounds her opinion writing in fact and deep research, but it's her personal, often candid perspective that resonates with readers. She tackles complex issues of integration, gender, politics, and social change, never shying from controversy or challenging prevailing narratives. Having also written for Aftonbladet and other outlets, her work extends beyond the daily column into longer-form chronicles and books, where she delves deeper into the threads of modern Swedish life. In a media landscape often accused of echo chambers, Sundström's voice stands out for its independence and its unwavering focus on the human stories within the headlines.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Lena was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lena Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Lena's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Serves as a lead columnist for Dagens Nyheter, a position of significant influence in Swedish journalism.
- Authored several books of social and political commentary that have sparked national conversation in Sweden.
- Previously held a prominent column at Aftonbladet, another major Swedish daily newspaper.
- Her reporting and commentary have established her as a key figure in debates on multiculturalism and integration in Sweden.
Did You Know?
She was born in Seoul, South Korea, and was adopted by a Swedish family as an infant.
She has been a vocal critic of both left-wing and right-wing political ideologies in her columns.
She has worked as a news anchor and reporter for Swedish television in addition to her print journalism.
Her writing has sometimes required police protection due to threats stemming from her views on sensitive topics.
“A column should be a clear window, not a mirror for the writer.”
