Publications
The Adaptive Peacebuilding Guidebook
When we hear the word “peace”, we often think of the end of a war, a peace agreement, or large-scale reconstruction efforts that follow a conflict. In reality, however, peace does not emerge the day after a conflict ends. Rather, it is nurtured gradually through everyday interactions, relationships, and collective efforts. Peace is not something that can be delivered from the outside; it is something that emerges from within societies and communities themselves. The “Adaptive Peacebuilding Guidebook” seeks to translate this understanding into a practical framework through the approach known as Adaptive Peacebuilding. The academic foundations, theories, and concepts underpinning Adaptive Peacebuilding have already been articulated in the book Adaptive Peacebuilding: A New Approach to Sustaining Peace in the 21st Century . Adaptive Peacebuilding views peacebuilding not as a process of implementing predetermined plans or applying universal solutions, but as a process through which people learn, reflect, and adapt collectively in response to changing circumstances. Based on the academic insights presented in that book, the newly published guidebook to Adaptive Peacebuilding clearly summarizes the concept of Adaptive Peacebuilding for practitioners and presents eight case studies from United Nations agencies, bilateral development agencies such as JICA, and NGOs.
From the Primacy of Politics to Benchmarks: Realising UNISFA’s Protection of Civilians Approach in Abyei
Situated between the disputed borders of South Sudan and Sudan, the Abyei region (also referred to as “the Box”) has been characterised by political uncertainty, insecurity, and competing claims to authority. Over the years, Abyei has become increasingly volatile, with a mix of criminal activity, large-scale seasonal incursions, armed persistent intrusion, and highly localised cross-border dynamics. These developments have not only defined everyday life in Abyei but have also become intertwined with broader conflict dynamics in both Sudan and South Sudan. In response to tensions surrounding the region, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) established the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) through Resolution 1990 on 27 June 2011. Since its deployment, UNISFA has been mandated to maintain peace and security, support stability and development, facilitate the implementation of the Abyei Protocol, and contribute to border demarcation through the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM). The mission has also played a critical role in supporting local governance structures and fostering engagement between communities and administrations. However, the political and security landscape of Abyei has changed considerably since 2011, presenting new challenges for the mission.
Revising the Post-2022 Arctic Security Literature
This paper reviews the state of the art in security research on the European Arctic, focusing primarily on work published since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Topics discussed include the reordering of Arctic cooperation following the NATO enlargement, Russian military modernisation, China’s role as an Arctic actor and the risk of conflict in the region. The paper concludes by setting out key issues for future research.
From European Coalitions to a European Security Council
In the past years, coalitions have become the standard response to move forward when consensus is proving too time-consuming. John Karlsrud and Yf Reykers argue in this brief that it is time to move from coalitions to a European security council, making the European institutional architecture again fit for purpose.
Polhavet Arctic Ocean 2050: Implementation Plan (2026 -2028)
Polhavet / Arctic Ocean 2050 unites Norwegian and international scientific expertise in a 10-year programme to understand the present and guide the future of the Arctic Ocean. Through interdisciplinary research and innovation and international collaboration, the program me will deliver knowledge and tools for sustainable use, conservation, and geopolitical resilience in a changing Arctic. This Implementation Plan covers the period 2026 -2028 and details the specific tasks the 18 partner organizations in the Norwegian Consortium plans to work on in this period. Co-author from NUPI is Elana Wilson Rowe. Other authors are: A., Årthun, M., Dodd, P., Jentoft, S., Renaud, P., Müller, M., Dankel, D., Bertino, L., Bluhm, B., De Lucia, V., Ellingsen, K., Husum, K., Ingvaldsen, R., Jensen, Ø., Jørgensen, L. L., Jørgensen, S. L., Langehaug, H ., Mooney, P., Østhagen, A., Øverjordet, I. B., Oye, V., Pedersen, M. P., Skodvin, K. E., Søreide, J. E., Sørensen, A., Storelvmo, T., Thorsnes, T., Tjiputra, J., Wilson Rowe, E. & Yoccoz, N.
Polhavet Arctic Ocean 2050: Science Plan
Polhavet / Arctic Ocean 2050 unites Norwegian and international scientific expertise in a 10-year programme to understand the present and guide the future of the Arctic Ocean . Through interdisciplinary research and innovation and international collaboration , the programme will deliver knowledge and tools for sustainable use, conservation, and geopolitical resilience in a changing Arctic. This Science Plan was written by the Polhavet / Arctic Ocean 2050 working group established by the 18 partner institutions. Co-author from NUPI is Elana Wilson Rowe. Other authors are: A., Årthun, M., Dodd, P., Jentoft, S., Renaud, P., Müller, M., Dankel, D., Bertino, L., Bluhm, B., De Lucia, V., Ellingsen, K., Husum, K., Ingvaldsen, R., Jensen, Ø., Jørgensen, L. L., Jørgensen, S. L., Langehaug, H ., Mooney, P., Østhagen, A., Øverjordet, I. B., Oye, V., Pedersen, M. P., Skodvin, K. E., Søreide, J. E., Sørensen, A., Storelvmo, T., Thorsnes, T., Tjiputra, J., Wilson Rowe, E. & Yoccoz, N.
Norsk forsvarsvilje og forsvarsevne: Hva kan vi lære fra Ukraina?
Hva skaper forsvarsvilje og hvordan vedlikeholdes den? Russlands angrepskrig i Ukraina og hvordan Ukraina har maktet å stå imot gir oss et unikt vindu for å undersøke og forstå disse spørsmålene. I denne rapporten benyttes nylig innsamlede data fra Ukraina for å kartlegge og forstå grunnlaget for Ukrainas forsvarsvilje. Dette gjennomgås i rapportens første del. I den andre delen brukes dataene fra Ukraina til å diskutere hva dette innebærer for norsk forsvarsvilje. Hvilke av erfaringene og lærdommene fra Ukraina er relevante for Norge? Hva er grunnlaget for norsk forsvarsvilje og hvilke utfordringer står Norge ovenfor når forsvarsviljen ikke bare må opprettholdes, men også styrkes?
Kan fire av ti norske gutter virkelig ikke lese?
Research Professor Paul Beaumont writes about PISA and its reliability as an indicator of the quality of the Norwegian school system in this Aftenposten op-ed.
Europe’s diversification paradox: Growing US and Russian gas import shares in 2026
European policymakers have made diversification a central objective of energy security strategy following the gas crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Yet analysis of the latest European Economic Area (EEA) gas import data reveals a persistent and accelerating trend in the opposite direction. Using Bruegel’s July 2026 natural gas import dataset, this policy brief shows that diversification of Europe’s external gas supply portfolio has continued to decline uninterrupted through the first half of 2026. The United States and Russia further strengthened their positions as the two dominant external suppliers, increasing both export volumes and market shares while imports from all other suppliers contracted. As a result, the combined concentration ratio of the two largest suppliers rose from 55% to 60% of total EEA gas imports and reached 81% of LNG imports. These developments expose a growing contradiction between diversification rhetoric and actual market outcomes.
The World Bank in Ukraine – lessons and challenges after 2022
The World Bank holds a central role in the international civilian support structure and has mobilised over $90 billion for Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The pace and volume of the the fund mobilisation is unprecedented, requiring new mechanisms and structures, and raises technical and political challenges as the bank manages its apolitical mandate amid war between two of its shareholders. This brief explores the bank’s role in Ukraine and the trade-offs this entails, highlighting lessons and concerns identified by the actors themselves, including sustainability questions tied to scope of support, trust fund organisation, and ownership and legitimacy of the World Bank programmes. The analysis draws on grey literature and interviews with staff and Norwegian aid stakeholders, including the Nansen programme.