Publications
Regional organizations, global governance and the EU
The US is distancing itself from institutions it has been central in establishing, and recent crises like COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Gaza conflict have raised critical questions about the future direction of international cooperation and global governance. This report sheds light on the role of regional organizations as a key component of global governance. It offers detailed analyses of the historical evolution and contemporary functioning of key regional organizations and discuss their role in fostering multilateral decision-making.
Verden brenner. Hordan formidles det til barna våre?
Op-ed in the Norwegian media outlet Aftenposten.
Stat, nasjon, utenrikspolitikk. Nyheter for barn i hverdag og krise
This article examines how two Norwegian news media outlets targeted at children present the world and Norwegian foreign policy to their audiences, in ordinary times and during crises. Our theoretical starting point is that self-images and worldviews are constructed and reconstructed on a daily basis, and that national identity formation begins at a young age. Existing scholarship highlights that news media are important arenas for such identity-building, including in shaping perceptions of the role one’s own state can and does play in the world. However, few studies have explored how children’s news media present and make sense of the world and foreign policy actions. Based on our Norwegian case study, we observe that children’s news media aim to make today’s (and tomorrow’s) world more comprehensible and less alien, soothe anxieties, and educate future political subjects. Meanwhile, critical perspectives on Norwegian foreign policy are less prominent. Instead, we find that children’s news media tend to reinforce what we may call dominant representations of Norway’s role in the world.
Working Paper on institutional landscape of global digitalisation governance
The institutional landscape of digitalization and cybersecurity has expanded and diversified significantly over the past decade. Hundreds of venues and processes are currently invested in digital and cyber policy making – some concerned with digitalization and cybersecurity in their respective areas of activity, others promoting more generalized policy approaches and yet others supporting digital growth and cyber resilience around the world. Such institutional churn is not particular to digital and cyber fields; however, it has direct implications on digital and cyber policy design and implementation. In this Working Paper, the authors make three recommendations based on the findings in the first phase of their research in the project The EU Navigating Multilateral Cooperation (NAVIGATOR).
The end of multilateralism as we know it? Assessing current trends in international security
In this paper, the authors explore and analyse the changing environment of multilateral security cooperation, identifying common trend lines and suggesting policy directions for the EU to navigate the complexities of crisis-ridden multilateralism.
Foreign Investments and National Security: The Case of Russia
Foreign investments have played pivotal roles in China’s overall economic growth over the last several decades, but for different reasons and with varying intensity. In this chapter, we focus mainly on inward foreign direct investment (FDI) and perform three tasks. First, we provide an overview of the foreign investments that have entered China—since economic and market liberalization and internationalization reforms started in the late 1970s. Second, we consider inward FDI with regards to sectoral distribution, where most investments come from, and which sectors are most popular among foreign investors. Third, we discuss Chinese FDI policies and regulations with focus on motivations and seek to explain that although China has changed its regulatory measures considerably over the years, it has remained relatively restrictive and selective in terms of which sectors and types of investments have been, and are still, open for foreign investment.
The Political Economy of National Security, Critical Infrastructure and Securitization of Foreign Investments
This book examines how new flows of foreign direct investments from autocracies are framed, their effects, and the policy responses to them, within the context of challenges to the international liberal order. Chapters address thematic and regional issues, from national investment controls and threat perceptions to China and Russia’s responses. Collectively, they explore a new dynamic in international politics: the securitization of money crossing borders. Historically, foreign investments operated under minimal global regulation, based on the assumption that they were beneficial, and profit driven. However, the past decade has witnessed a radical shift in approaches to foreign investments due to changing investment patterns and the entry of state-sponsored actors into this traditionally unregulated realm. China and Russia are seen to leverage foreign investments to advance their long-term economic and political objectives. The book comprehensively examines the subsequent repositioning of foreign investment policy and its consequences for national and international politics.
Memo to the Arctic Security Roundtable: The geopolitics of Arctic economic activities
This brief memo supported discussions at the MSC Arctic Security Roundtable 2025 of the Munich Security Council, which has a particular focus on economic drivers and how they impact security and governance in the region. The memo directs attention to key vectors, both long-term and more recent, that are at the intersection of economy, security and environment across national borders in the Arctic.
Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Elections – International Experiences and National Recommendations
The Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence, Democracy and Elections was appointed to assess the significance of AI for democratic elections and to propose measures in response. The work has focused on three areas: (1) the information and media landscape, (2) covert election interference, and (3) election administration and cybersecurity. Norway has strong foundations for democratic resilience, particularly through a robust and diverse media system. At the same time, editor-driven media are challenged by social media, algorithmic platforms, and changing media habits. AI—especially generative AI—amplifies existing threats by enabling rapid, wide dissemination of content and more sophisticated influence operations, as demonstrated in the 2024 elections and in cases such as Romania. The Expert Group recommends measures to strengthen competence, preparedness, and cooperation, including: – Ensuring that election authorities have the necessary expertise and capacity in AI and communication. – Reducing opportunities for speculation about errors in election administration or claims that elections have been subject to unwanted interference. – Strengthening contact between public authorities and technology and platform companies. – Holding political actors accountable and providing appropriate support. – Prioritizing the rapid implementation of relevant EU legislation, particularly the DSA and the AI Act. – Pursuing an active media policy that maintains free, strong, and diverse editor-driven media. – Building source awareness and promoting critical media, technology, and AI literacy. – Increasing research and cooperation between authorities, researchers, civil society, and technology companies. – Acting as a driver for international cooperation in these areas.
The IDP situation in Borno State, Nigeria – returning to uncertainty?
Nigeria is faced with a protracted displacement crisis caused by jihadist insurgencies, banditry and natural disasters. This crisis is particularly manifest in the north-east, where for more than 12 years over 2 million people have been forced to move in to, out of and between internally displaced person (IDP) camps and informal settlements. Some have tried to return home or resettle to another community, only to have to move again. All suffer from limited access to essential services such as healthcare and education, and deficiencies in food security and adequate shelter. Moreover, the young age of the IDP population means many camp residents have few, if any, memories of their lives prior to leaving their homes of origin. The state of Borno is one of the most affected in Nigeria. Here, about 900,000 people continue to live in about 65 formal and 158 informal camps. In 2021, Borno State Governor Prof Babagana Umara Zulum began the process of closing the camps and returning IDPs to their homes of origin. While more than 100,000 people have already moved out of the camps, uncertain remains as to what the majority of IDPs will do once the camps are closed. This report aims to fill this knowledge gap by presenting a foresight study that, coupled with analysis of previous studies, draws on ethnographic data and field observations collected among IDP populations around Maiduguri in October 2024. The foresight analysis framework used relies on three inter-related factors: 1) the weight of history; 2) the contradictions of the present; and 3) the pull of the future. While this method cannot offer statistical representativity, it does allow for indicative scenarios encompassing known (albeit uncertain) risks and probable futures. These scenarios are not only valuable for policy planning, but constitute important pilot data for larger, more systematic studies going forward.