Karin Dyrstad

Karin Dyrstad is a Professor at the Department of Sociology and Political Science, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences at NTNU. Her research focuses on the intersection of political behavior and peace/conflict studies, particularly in conflict-affected societies and fragile states. She examines individual-level causes and consequences of political violence, support for peacebuilding strategies, and policy design improvements.

Her work spans post-conflict contexts such as Guatemala, Nepal, Northern Ireland, and the Western Balkans. Key themes include public attitudes toward peace agreements, transitional justice mechanisms, trauma impacts, and the socio-political dynamics of post-war societies. She collaborates extensively with institutions like PRIO and Uppsala University, and her findings contribute to both academic discourse and policy recommendations.

Teaching responsibilities include quantitative research methods and leading the political science specialization in NTNU's Social Science PhD program. Her outreach activities include media contributions, policy seminars, and international conference presentations on conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and post-conflict governance.