John Karlsrud

Senior Research Fellow

Email: jka@nupi.no Mobile: (+47) 934 52 444 Post address: Pb 8159 Dep, 0033 Oslo Visit address: C.J. Hambros plass 2 D

Original image (8.7 MB) CV (76.4 kB)

Expertise

Peace operations Humanitarian issues International organizations United Nations Africa

Education

2014 Senior Executive Course 13, Norwegian Defence University College, Aug-Nov 2014 2010-2014 Ph.D., Politics and Internationals Studies, University of Warwick. Title: Linked Ecologies and Norm Change in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations 2005 Master of Peace and Conflict Studies / International Affairs with Distinction Joint Master from Institute for Graduate Studies in International Affairs, Australian National University and the Peace Research Centre of Oslo

Work Experience

2015- External Associate, Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation, University of Warwick 2015 Fulbright Visiting Fellow, Center on International Cooperation, New York University 2015 Visiting Fellow, International Peace Institute 2010- Programme Manager and Senior Research Fellow at Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) 2012 Lecturer, IR Master 2008-2010 Special Assistant to the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG), United Nations Mission in Chad and the Central African Republic (MINURCAT), Chad 2006-2008 Policy and Strategy Analyst, Strategic and Regional Initiatives Unit (SRIU), Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA), UNDP New York HQ 2005-2006 Researcher and Assistant to the Managing Director, Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies (AIS) 2002-2003 Liaison and Operations Officer for NATO in Bosnia and Hercegovina (BiH), seconded by the Norwegian Army

Activity

2012-11-22 Presented the paper "The Space between HQ Policy and Local Action: Unpacking Agency in Negotiating Local Peacebuilding", co-authored with Diana Felix da Costa, at the International Peacekeeping in Africa conference, ETH Zurich, 22-24 November 2012. 2012-12-07 Presented the paper “UN as a competitive arena for linked ecologies: The case of UN peacekeeping” at the AGORA IV workshop, Emergent Ideas in the International Political Economy, Copenhagen, 6-7 December 2012. 2013-04-05 Presented the paper "Linked Ecologies in Global Governance: The Case of UN Peacekeeping", at the International Studies Association Annual Convention, San Francisco, 2-4 April 2013. 2013-02-26-28 Organized the workshop "Understanding and Integrating Local Perceptions in the Work of Multi-Dimensional UN Peacekeeping Operations" in Kampala, Uganda http://www.nupi.no/Arrangementer/Kommende-arrangement/Understanding-and-Integrating-Local-Perceptions-in-the-Work-of-Multi-Dimensional-UN-Peacekeeping-Operations 2013-04-22 Presented the paper “In the Eye of the Beholder? UN and the use of drones to protect civilians” at the seminar Disaster Drones: Promises and Pitfalls for Humanitarian Action, Centre for Humanitarian Studies, Oslo. 2013-05-28 Gave the presentation “UN Peacekeeping: Old Instruments, New Dilemmas”, at the New Issues in Security Course, given at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), Geneva, 28 May 2013. 2013-06-04 Organized the seminar "Triangular cooperation for capacity development – the case of South Sudan" at NUPI. 2013-06-25-26 Presented the paper "Quasi-Professionals in the Organization of Transnational Crisis Mapping" at the European Research Council workshop Professionals and Organizations in Transnational Governance, Milan. 2013-06-28 Presented the paper "Professions and Linked Ecologies in Transnational Governance: The Case of UN Peacekeeping", at the 'Professions in Crisis' Mini-Conference, Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics Conference, Universita Degli Studi di Milano, 27-29 June 2013. 2013-07-08 Chaired "Legal Framework and Decision-making with Respect to PoC in the AU" and "PoC Considerations to be Mainstreamed" during Consultative Workshop on the African Union Draft Aide-Memoire for the Considerations of Issues Pertaining to the Protection of Civilians, Addis Ababa. 2013-08-06 Presented «Main challenges for AFISMA» at the seminar Mali: Humanitarian Challenges amid a Fragile Security Situation, What Role for the UN?, arranged by the Peace Research Institute of Oslo and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies. 2013-09-05-06 'Lifting the Fog of War? Challenges and Opportunities When Including a Drone Capability in UN and AU Peace Operations', presented at The Rise of the Good Drone, author's workshop hosted by the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO) and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies. 2013-09-25 “Civilian capacities and Rule of Law in Peace Operations”. Lecture at a seminar on "the Development of Stabilization Capabilities for Peace Support Operations", co-arranged by the Bosnian Peace Support Operations Training Centre (PSOTC) and the Centre for Security Studies (CSS), Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2013-10-09 “Lessons for Advancing Regional Capacity Support”, presentation at the seminar "Regional Cooperation for Civilian Capacity Development after Conflict: Lessons from South Sudan and Afghanistan", arranged by NUPI, the Danish Institute for International Studies and the International Peace Institute. 2013-10-22 Presented the paper “Civilian capacities for peace operations: the case of Norway,” the Kick-off seminar for Western Balkans Civilian Capacities in Peace Operations, October 22-23, 2013, Oslo, Norway. 2012-10-26 Presented the papers "In the eye of the beholder: UN and the use of drones to protect civilians” and “Invitation withdrawn: humanitarian action, United Nations peacekeeping, and state sovereignty in Chad”, the 3rd World Conference on Humanitarian Studies Kadir Has University, Istanbul, October 24-27, 2013. 2013-11-28 “Digitarian Dilemmas: Professionalizing Digital Volunteerism in Humanitarian Action”, presentation given at the Critical Approaches to Humanitarian Technology Conference: Accountability, Decision-Making and New Actors seminar at the Peace Research Institute of Oslo 2014-08-21-22 Presented "Key findings and first critical questions" at Partner's Dialogue on Technology and Innovation in Peace Operations, Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF), Berlin. 2014-12-04-05 Chaired the session “United Nations Peacekeeping – Needs and Priorities” at The Nordic and Baltic Countries and Support to Military Capacity Building, co-hosted by Training for Peace (NUPI) and the Danish Institute for International Studies, Copenhagen 2015-01-07 Chaired a session on “New security threats and implications of robust, stabilisation and protection of civilians mandates” and presented “New technologies in UN peacekeeping”, Norwegian Consultation Workshop on the UN Peace Operations Review 2015-01-13 Presented “Stabilization missions – a tentative typology”, Informal Expert Discussion on Stabilization, Norwegian Delegation to the UN, New York 2015-02-17 Presented “European Military Participation in MINUSMA: Experiences and Lessons-Learned”’ and chaired “Enhancing Capabilities: Domestic Political Process”, at Delivering Peace and Protection: The Convening Power of UN Peace Operations, Amsterdam 2015-02-18 Participated at “Roundtable on the Use of Force”, arranged by the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations in cooperation with the Clingendael Institute, Amsterdam 2015-02-18-21 Presented “Speak softly and carry a big stick: The Consequences for Information and Knowledge Production when Including Intelligence in UN Peacekeeping”, at the International Studies Association Annual Convention, New Orleans 2015-06-10-11 Presented “Speak softly and carry a big stick: The Consequences for Information and Knowledge Production when Including Intelligence in UN Peacekeeping”, at the annual NUPI-Danish Institute for International Studies workshop, Copenhagen 2015-06-11-13 Presented “Speak softly and carry a big stick: The Consequences for Information and Knowledge Production when Including Intelligence in UN Peacekeeping”, at the Academic Council on the United Nations System annual conference in The Hague, 2016-05-20-23 Presented “Between Self-interest and Solidarity: Norway’s Return to UN Peacekeeping” at a workshop hosted by International Peacekeeping and the University of Kent (Brussels) in Brussels on 20 May 2016, and at the European Union in International Affairs conference, Brussels, 21-23 May 2016.

Dr John Karlsrud is Senior Research Fellow at the Research Group on Peace, Conflict and development and earned his PhD at the University of Warwick. He is a member of the Editorial Boards of the journals Internasjonal Politikk and Contemporary Security Policy. Karlsrud has been a Visiting Fulbright Fellow at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University, and a Visiting Research Fellow at the International Peace Institute.

Topics of particular interests are norm change, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and humanitarian issues. He previously served as Special Assistant to the United Nations Special Representative in Chad and as part of the UN Development Programme’s leadership programme LEAD. His latest article is Towards UN counter-terrorism operations?(Third World Quarterly, 2017) and he will soon publish UN peace operations in the 21^st century: The UN at war (Palgrave, 2017) and UN Peacekeeping Doctrine in a New Era (Routledge 2017, co-edited with Cedric de Coning and Chiyuki Aoi). He has recently published Norm Change in International Relations (Routledge, 2016) and The Future of African Peace Operations: From the Janjaweed to Boko Haram (Zed Books, 2016, co-edited with Cedric de Coning and Linnéa Gelot). His article "The UN at War: Examining the Consequences of Peace Enforcement Mandates for the UN Peacekeeping Operations in the CAR, the DRC and Mali" from 2015 is the second most downloaded article in the journal Third World Quarterly.

He has worked in Bosnia and Hercegovina, Chad, Palestine (West Bank), Norway and USA, and conducted field research and shorter missions to Haiti, Liberia, Mozambique, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Ukraine.

Publication : MONOGRAFI
The UN at War: Peace Operations in a New Era
2018
- - John Karlsrud
This book is a critical political and institutional reflection on UN peace operations. It provides constructive suggestions as to how the UN and the international system can evolve to remain relevant and tackle the peace and security challenges of the 21st century, without abandoning the principles that...
Publication : Del av bok/rapport
Between self-interest and solidarity: Norway’s return to UN peacekeeping?
2018
- - John Karlsrud
- - Kari M. Osland
This edited volume provides a comprehensive analysis of European approaches to United Nations peacekeeping by assessing past practice, present obstacles and future potentials related to nine core European countries’ contributions to blue helmet operations. By providing in-depth case studies on Denmark,...
Publication : ARTIKKEL
From Liberal Peacebuilding to Stabilization and Counterterrorism
2018
- - John Karlsrud
Publication : ARTIKKEL_POP
Are UN Peacekeeping Missions Moving Toward "Chapter Seven and a Half Operations"?
2018
- - John Karlsrud
Research project

Support to UN Peace Operations: Ensuring More Effective UN Peace Operations (UNPO)

2017 - 2020 (Ongoing)

The aim of this project is to strengthen the ability of UN peace operations to respond to global security challenges and improve their effectiveness.
Publication : NUPI Policy Brief
Plug and Play: Multinational Rotation Contributions for UN Peacekeeping Operations
2017
- - John Karlsrud
In January 2016, Norway deployed a C-130 military transport aircraft to the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Given the number of attacks on patrols and logistics convoys of MINUSMA, which has been called ‘the world’s most dangerous UN mission’, a military transport aircraft like the C-130 is considered...
Publication : Del av bok/rapport
Quasi-Professionals in the Organisation of Transnational Crisis Mapping
2017
- - John Karlsrud
The recent explosion of increasingly sophisticated mobile information communications technologies (ICTs) has led to the creation of new and complex networks and relationships. The fastest growth and adoption of mobile technologies is now in the developing world and often among populations facing development...
News
The UN we need?
24.10.2017
- - Cedric H. de Coning
Is UN Peace Operations adapting fast enough to remain relevant in today’s rapidly changing global landscape?
Publication : ARTIKKEL
UN-Friedenssicherung und Terrorismusbekämpfung: seltsame Bettgenossen?
2017
- - John Karlsrud
English summary: UN Peacekeeping and Counterterrorism: Uncomfortable Bedfellows? Based on the case of the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the article argues that UN peacekeeping neither is, nor will be ready operationally, doctrinally or politically to take on counterterrorism tasks. Such...
Publication : LEDER
Multinational rapid response mechanisms: Past promises and future prospects
2017
- - John Karlsrud
Military rapid response mechanisms are generally understood as troops that are on standby, ready to be deployed to a crisis within a short time frame. Yet, the overall track record of the existing multinational rapid response mechanisms within the European Union, the African Union, and North Atlantic...
Publication : Del av bok/rapport
Lifting the Fog of War? Opportunities and Challenges of Drones in UN Peace Operations
2017
- - John Karlsrud
While the military use of drones has been the subject of much scrutiny, the use of drones for humanitarian purposes has so far received little attention. As the starting point for this study, it is argued that the prospect of using drones for humanitarian and other life-saving activities has produced...
News
Article on UN from NUPI researcher most downloaded
20.06.2017
- - Marie Furhovden
Read Senior Research fellow John Karlsrud's opan access article.
Publication : NUPI-rapport
Plug and Play: Multinational Rotation Contributions for UN Peacekeeping Operations
2017
- - John Karlsrud
In 2016, Norway spearheaded the provision of multinational rotation contribution (MRC) of a C-130 transport plane, together with Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden, lasting from January 2016 to December 2018. According to Hervé Ladsous, then Under Secretary-General (USG) for UN peacekeeping operations,...
News
Your weekly NUPI recap
17.03.2017
- - Ane Teksum Isbrekken
Did you miss out on an event, an important article or other NUPI news? Here’s a recap of last week.
News
Turning point for UN peacekeeping?
14.03.2017
- - Ane Teksum Isbrekken
The UN should stop doing stabilization operations, according to NUPI researchers.
Publication : ARTIKKEL_POP
UN Peacekeeping and Counter-terrorism
2017
- - John Karlsrud
There are strong calls to give UN peacekeeping operations more robust mandates to engage in counter-terrorism tasks. But the idea of UN peacekeepers conducting counter-terrorism operations is not without its problems.
Wed 15 Mar 2017
Event
UN Peacekeeping doctrine in a new era

Time: 12:30 Location: NUPI

What relevance does UN peacekeeping have for conflict management today? NUPI has the pleasure of inviting you to a seminar and panel discussion about the new book “UN Peacekeeping doctrine in a new era”, co-edited by two of NUPI's researchers.
Research project

Overcoming Legal and Support Obstacles to Peacekeeping Strategic Force Generation (OLSOPSFG)

2017 (Completed)

The projects looks at a a joint collaboration between Norway and other UN member states for a rotational agreement to provide a transport plane to MINUSMA.
Publication : Del av bok/rapport
New technologies and UN peacekeeping operations
2017
- - John Karlsrud
Recent UN peacekeeping operations have challenged the traditional peacekeeping principles of consent, impartiality and the minimum use of force. The pace and scope of these changes have now reached a tipping point, as the new mandates are fundamentally challenging the continued validity of the UN peacekeeping’s...
Publication : Del av bok/rapport
Introduction: Addressing the Emerging Gap between Concepts, Doctrine and Practice in UN Peacekeeping Operations
2017
- - Cedric H. de Coning
- - John Karlsrud
This edited volume offers a thorough review of peacekeeping theory and reality in contemporary contexts, and aligns the two to help inform practice. Recent UN peacekeeping operations have challenged the traditional peacekeeping principles of consent, impartiality and the minimum use of force. The pace...

John Karlsrud

UN Peacekeeping doctrine in a new era