Research Interests

Transnational mobilization and civil war
War-related migration and social networks
Regional (in-)security

Peacebuilding and peacemaking

Methodology in contexts of crisis and conflict

Geographical focus on Afghanistan and its neighborhood
Background
Languages
Norwegian, English; basic French and German
Work Experience
2017–
| Research Professor, PRIO |
2009–17 | Director, PRIO |
2008
| Guest Researcher, Institute for International Migration (ISIM), Georgetown University |
2007– | Associate Fellow, Post-War Reconstruction and Development Unit (PRDU), University of York |
2005–09 | Deputy Director, PRIO |
2004–05 | Programme Leader, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (CRPB) programme, PRIO |
1999– | Senior Researcher, PRIO |
1999–06 | Project Leader, 'Assistance to Mine-Affected Communities (AMAC)' |
1998 | Guest researcher (Fulbright Scholar), Department of Sociolocy, University of Chicago |
1997–03 | Research Fellow, Department of Sociology and Human geography, University of Oslo. Project: 'Flight and Social Decision-Making: Forced Migration in Afghanistan' |
1995–97 | Research Fellow, PRIO. Project: 'Common Security in Southern Africa' (17 months) |
1990–92 | Director and Agricultural Coordinator, Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC), Peshawar, Pakistan |
1989 | Conscientious Objector, Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC), Oslo |
1983–88 | Farmer, Harpviken Farm, Brumunddal |
1982 | Military Service |
1981–93 | Farm work, Nedre Berg Farm, Brøttum |
Appointments
2017– | Member of the Board of Directors, Global Resource Network on Conflict (GRNC), Washington DC
|
2017– | External Board member, Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo |
2016– | Member of the Advisory Committee of the joint United Nations and World Bank Policy Study on the role of Development in the Prevention of Violent Conflict. |
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2016– | Board member, Research Council of Norway’s Board committee for international issues [Styreutvalg for internasjonale saker] |
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2015– | Board member, Division for Society and Health, Research Council of Norway |
2015–16 | Member of Norwegian Commission of Inquiry on Norway’s civilian and military involvement in Afghanistan during the period 2001–2014 |
2014– | Governing Board member,
Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP), New Delhi |
2014– | International Board member,
Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) |
2013– | Advisory Board member,
Norwegian Polytechnic Society |
2012– | Board of Trustees member, the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights
|
2012– | Advisory Board member,
Business for Peace Foundation |
2012–16 | Editorial Board member,
Politics and Governance (Open Access journal) |
2011– | Scientific Advisory Council member,
Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) |
2010–14 | Programme Council member for the MA programme in Peace and Conflict Studies (PECOS), University of Oslo |
2007– | Editorial Board member,
Comparative Social Research (yearbook published by Emerald) |
2006–09 | Member of the National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (Norway) |
Education
2017
| Senior Executive Course (Sjefskurset), Norwegian Defence University College, Oslo
|
2006
| PhD in Sociology, University of Oslo [Dissertation] |
1993–95 | Cand. Polit (M.Phil.) in Sociology, University of Oslo [Dissertation] |
1991–93 | Development Studies, University of Uppsala |
1987–89 | Cand. Mag, University of Oslo |
1984–86 | Management studies, Norwegian School of Management, Gjøvik |
1982–83 | Agriculturalist, Staup School of Gardening, Levanger |
PRIO Projects
Ongoing:
Finished:
Events
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Mon, 04 July 2022
– Barcelona Summer School of the Mediterranean and the Middle East
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Wed, 15 Jun 2022 08:30-09:30
– Are We Moving toward a ‘Post-American’ Regional Security Dynamic in the Gulf? - MidEast Breakfast Seminar
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Tue, 07 Jun 2022 08:30-09:30
– What Lebanon after the Collapse? - MidEast Breakfast Seminar
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Wed, 11 May 2022 08:30-09:30
– Citizenship and Social Pacts in the Middle East and North Africa - MidEast Breakfast Seminar
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Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:30-09:30
– The Origins of Islamist Civil Wars - MidEast Breakfast Seminar
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Tue, 19 Apr 2022 12:00-13:30
– The War in Ukraine and Its Impact on Energy in the Middle East - MidEast Lunch Seminar
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Wed, 30 Mar 2022 08:30-09:30
– Rebel Governance in Yemen and Syria - MidEast Breakfast Seminar
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Thu, 24 Mar 2022 08:30-09:30
– Political Economy of Palestine: Critical Perspectives - MidEast Breakfast with Alaa Tartir
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Thu, 02 Sep 2021 15:45-16:45
– The Chance for Peace in Yemen
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Fri, 26 Mar 2021 16:00-17:00
– Access to Employment and Social Protection Among Syrian Refugees in Jordan
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02 - 03 Mar 2020
– Preserving Spaces for Dialogue in the Middle East
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Fri, 06 Dec 2019 13:30-15:00
– Where is it Worst or Best to be a Woman?
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Fri, 29 Nov 2019 08:30-09:30
– Update from Northern Syria: Humanitarian Response, Impunity and Localization
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Wed, 27 Nov 2019 12:00-13:00
– Effective Multilateralism for Regional Stability: Cyprus’ Vision for the Eastern Mediterranean region
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Mon, 18 Nov 2019 12:00-15:15
– Yemen in Context: Past, Present and Future
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Fri, 08 Nov 2019 08:30-09:30
– The Evolving Situation in the Gulf: Contradictions and Opportunities
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Wed, 06 Nov 2019 08:30-09:30
– Iran and Saudi Arabia: Between Enmity and Amity
PRIO started tracking events online in 2007. This listing is not complete. Past events may be mentioned in our news archive.
Publications
The following publications are specific to the PRIO Middle East Centre. A more complete list is available at www.prio.org.
All Publications