Ketil Eide

Ketil Eide is a Professor in the Department of Health, Social and Welfare Studies at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Southeast Norway (USN). With a PhD in International Migration and Ethnic Relations (IMER) from the University of Bergen and professional training as a social worker, he bridges academic research with extensive practical experience in welfare institutions. His work focuses on critical examinations of child welfare systems, migration policies, and minority perspectives in Nordic societies.

• PhD in International Migration and Ethnic Relations (IMER), University of Bergen
• Professional background as a social worker across multiple welfare sectors
• Current affiliation: Porsgrunn Campus, University of Southeast Norway

Professor Eide's research centers on Childhood and Migration and Social Work from Minority Perspectives, employing qualitative methodologies to explore how institutional frameworks impact refugee and migrant children. His work critically analyzes cultural continuity in foster care, educational integration of refugee youth, and the complexities of care for unaccompanied minors. He examines how welfare systems simultaneously protect and constrain vulnerable populations through nuanced ethnographic and policy analyses.

His recent publications reveal a strong Nordic comparative approach, particularly through the "Coming of Age in Exile" (CAGE) project funded by Nordforsk, which investigates health and socio-economic trajectories of young refugees across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. This research demonstrates consistent attention to power dynamics in welfare institutions and the lived experiences of marginalized communities.

Professor Eide actively supervises master's students and PhD fellows while contributing to significant research initiatives including the CAGE project and a Norwegian Child Welfare Service (Bufdir)-funded study on placement movements within the child protection system. His work extends beyond academia through collaborations with welfare institutions and policy development in refugee integration and child protection.

He teaches in the PhD program in Person, Health and Society (qualitative methods), Master's in Child Welfare Work, Master's in Society and Health (Preventive Work with Children), and the Bachelor's in Child Welfare, ensuring his research directly informs professional practice.