Research interests
- Development
- Democracy
- Global Governace
- Elites
- Geographic focus Latin America
Since earning my doctorate, I have been focused on how elites influence the potential for democratic and sustainable development. I studied the privatization of public enterprises in Central America, particularly how elites affected opportunities for development, democracy, and state institutions, while also serving as an "intermediary" between international institutions and small countries like Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. Later, this interest in elites led me to examine the political significance of transnational business groups, public-private partnerships in international organizations, the influence of businesses on international trade agreements, the impact of elites on environmental governance, and how elites change in response to technological, economic, and political shifts. My goal is to understand how to develop democratic domestica and multilateral institutions that can create positive social change, including addressing the climate and nature crises and reducing poverty, despite structural inequalities both within and between countries. The focus is always on poorer nations, particularly in Latin America. In recent years, I have specifically studied how international and national politics and economics have interacted in Venezuela's collapse, and how elites in Latin America are responding to China's increasing influence. Through my work with elites and institutions in Latin America, I have also become interested in the illegal economy and how organizations that emerge from it both challenge and collaborate with traditional elites. With the significant increase in the fortunes of the wealthiest individuals in recent years, I have returned to studying "oligarchies" and oligarchs and their influence on politics.
Courses taught
- SUM4031 - Latin American Politics and Development
- SUM4029 - Global Governance for Sustainable Development
- SUM4531 - Latin America in the new Global Resource Politics
- SUM4022 - The Role of Business in Global Governance for Sustainable Development
- STV4344 - Politics in developing countries: contextual analyses in theoretical perspectives
Background
- President of the board of the Nordic Institute for Latin America Studies (NILAS) (2020-)
- Guest lecturer Instituto de Iberoamérica, Universidad de Salamanca
- Leader of Oslo Academy of Global Governance (2015-2020)
- Leader of Norwegian Latin America Research Network (NorLARNet) (2008- 2020)
- Guest Researcher, FLACSO, Chile (2006)
- Senior Research Fellow SUM (2002-2007)
- Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Oslo (2001-2002),
- Dr. Polit, University of Oslo (2002),
- Research Fellow, Research Center of Bornholm (1997).
- Consultant, Inter-American Development Bank (1998)
- Cand.Polit, University of Oslo (1996).
Awards
- University of Oslo's Research Communication Prize (2018)
- H.M.King Olav’s Gold Medal (2003)
Partners
- Norwegian Institute for International Affairs (NUPI)
- Centre for the Study and Documentation of Latin America (CEDLA)
- School of International Relations, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica (UNA)