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Ellen Marie Krefting is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas (IFIKK) at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Humanities. Specializing in early modern intellectual history, she focuses on European and Denmark-Norway contexts with particular expertise in the history of knowledge, genres and communication forms, periodicals, and the emergence of public debate and freedom of speech concepts. Professor Krefting's research spans multiple interconnected fields including early modern intellectual history, history of knowledge, public sphere development, gender studies, historiography, and cultural history of the ocean. She has particular expertise in 17th-18th century French philosophy and literature, Denmark-Norway intellectual history, and book history. Her work examines how knowledge was formatted and communicated through various media including periodicals, catechisms, and ship logs, with attention to how these formats shaped intellectual discourse and public opinion during the Enlightenment. Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on Scandinavian and European Enlightenment periodicals, political literature, and the development of public debate. Krefting has produced significant scholarship on La Spectatrice danoise , Den patriotiske Tilskuer , and other "spectator"-type journals, examining how these publications navigated censorship while promoting Enlightenment ideals. Her 2024 work with Paulsen on nautical charts as knowledge formats extends her research into maritime modernities. Professor Krefting leads the research project "Maritime Modernities: Formats of Oceanic Knowledge" (NFR-funded 2021-2025) and serves as the roving head of the master's program in European Culture. She has been an editorial member of Arr - Idéhistorisk tidsskrift since 1996 and has served on the Institute Board at IFIKK from 2017-2025. Her teaching includes courses IDE1105, IDE2001, EKUL4000-4002, and specialized courses on the public sphere and freedom of press around 1814.

• Early modern intellectual history
• History of knowledge
• Public sphere and freedom of speech
• +7 more

Dag Michalsen is a Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, specializing in legal history, constitutional law, and Nordic legal traditions. His work bridges historical jurisprudence with contemporary legal analysis, focusing on themes such as democratic defense mechanisms, colonial legal structures, and medieval legal codification. Research areas: Legal History, Constitutional Law, Nordic Constitutionalism Institutional affiliation: University of Oslo Email: dag.michalsen@jus.uio.no Michalsen's recent publications explore militant democracy, constitutional transitions in the Swedish-Norwegian union, and the evolution of Nordic legal frameworks. His methodological approach emphasizes comparative analysis and historical continuity in legal systems. He contributes to edited volumes such as Grunnloven: Historisk kommentarutgave 1814-2020 and participates in research groups focusing on legal history, constitutional change, and the public sphere in Nordic societies. His projects include 'Stakes of Democracy' and 'Sustainability Law.'

• Legal History
• Constitutional Law
• Nordic Constitutionalism
• +3 more

Jonas Jakobsen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy and First Semester Studies , UiT The Arctic University of Norway. His research focuses on democracy, freedom of expression, right- and left-wing populism, and the intersection of the good society and the good life. Member of the research group FemPhil Part of the Pluralism, Democracy, and Justice (PDJ) network His scholarly work explores democratic theory, multiculturalism, identity conflicts, religious arguments in politics, hate speech, polarization, distrust, and extremism. He also investigates the ethical implications of mindfulness meditation within environmentalist movements. Dr. Jakobsen’s recent publications analyze cancel culture, AI in education, and digitalization’s impact on democratic public spheres. Though no explicit awards are listed, his contributions to public discourse and political philosophy are significant. He advises on democratic debate culture and policy responses to polarization, with affiliations spanning UiT, Århus University, and the University of Copenhagen. His teaching and research emphasize critical engagement with contemporary societal challenges.

• Democracy
• Freedom of Expression
• Populism
• +12 more

Mubashar Hasan is a Post Doctoral Researcher in the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Humanities, with adjunct affiliation at Western Sydney University's Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative (HADRI). Previously, he served as Assistant Professor at North South University and the University of Liberal Arts in Bangladesh. His research examines authoritarian resilience in South Asia through intersecting lenses of religion, media, and human rights. Key interests include autocratic adaptation strategies in Bangladesh, the politicization of Islam in youth identity formation, transnational repression mechanisms, and the role of hip-hop in democratic mobilization. His work critically analyzes state construction of religious narratives and suppression of dissent. Publications from 2019-2023 reveal consistent focus on Bangladeshi political dynamics, blending political science with religious studies and media analysis. Articles explore democratic innovation within autocracy, radicalization pathways, journalist safety challenges, and refugee crises, demonstrating interdisciplinary methodology and regional expertise. He received the Griffith Business School Outstanding International Alumni award (2021) from Griffith University, Australia. Dr. Hasan leads the Centre for South Asian Democracy (CSAD) project on Leadership and Popular Participation in Asian Democracies, examining grassroots resistance to authoritarianism through collaborative international research.

• Authoritarianism in Asia
• Democratic Resilience
• Transnational Repression
• +4 more

Kari Steen-Johnsen is a Researcher at the Institute for Social Research (ISF) , focusing on democratic participation, digital public spheres, and trust dynamics. She leads the NFR-funded projects CEPOL - Politicians' power through social media and The far right online and the resilience of society (FREXO) . Education: MSc in sociology from the University of Oslo; PhD from the Norwegian School of Sports and Recreation. Her research spans political mobilization, news consumption, and freedom of expression. She examines how digitalization affects trust in society, particularly post-terror and during the pandemic. Recent publications include analyses of social media's role in elections, algorithmic governance, and cross-national responses to terrorism. Her work integrates political sociology, media studies, and trust research. Notable collaborations include projects on AI's impact on political knowledge ( KnowAI ), digital media policy ( POLICY WINDOWS ), and youth media culture ( Local Election Surveys ).

• Democratic Participation
• Digital Public Sphere
• Social Media and Politics
• +5 more

Knut Lundby is a Professor Emeritus of Media Studies at the University of Oslo's Department of Media and Communication within the Faculty of Humanities. He specializes in mediatization theory, the intersection of media and religion, and their roles in societal conflicts. His career includes roles as department head, research director, and coordinator of major projects like CoMRel (2014–2018) examining mediatized religious conflicts. He retired in 2018 but retains an emeritus research agreement. Education: Cand.mag (1973): Political Science, Sociology, Christianity, Social Economics Mag.art (1975): Sociology (specializing in mass communication and religion) Dr.philos (1986): Sociology of Religion Research Interests: Lundby’s work focuses on mediatization processes, particularly how media shape religious practices and public discourse. His research explores: - Mediatized religious conflicts in Scandinavia - Digital storytelling and identity formation - Public service media transformations - Media’s role in secularization and democratization Awards and Recognition: 2018 Stewart M. Hoover Mentorship Prize 2018 Honorary Award (Norwegian Association for Media and Communication Researchers) Grants and Projects: - Led CoMRel (Research Council of Norway, SAMKUL-funded) - Coordinated Nordic networks on media and religion - Directed InterMedia (2006–2012), exploring digital design and learning Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary research groups, including the Research Network on Religion in Pluralist Societies (PluRel) and the European 'Changing Media – Changing Europe' programme.

• Media Studies
• Sociology of Religion
• Mediatization Theory
• +5 more

Henrik Grue Bastiansen is a Senior Researcher and program director for the Master in Media Practices program at the Department of Media Studies, Volda University College. His research focuses on historical studies of the Internet, World Wide Web, and digital media, extending his prior work on Norwegian media history, including NRK’s evolution, party press, freedom of speech, and the role of media during the Cold War. He has led major research projects on mass digitization and digital source criticism, culminating in his 2023 book Når fortiden blir digital . Current project: NRK’s Internet history (1995–present) Supervised three PhD theses Keynote speaker at international conferences (Copenhagen, Oslo, Århus, Toronto) His publications and presentations emphasize: Digital transformation of historical sources Media archaeology and historiographical methods Public service media in digital age Comparative Cold War media analysis Technological impact on cultural heritage Bastiansen has contributed to academic organizations and public debates through media appearances, book reviews, and conference leadership. He is a co-founder of the Nordic Media History Network and former leader of the Norwegian Media History Association (2017–2023).

• Media History
• Digital Media
• Cold War Media Studies
• +6 more

Elisabeth Lund Engebretsen is Professor of Gender Research in the Department of Media and Social Sciences at the University of Stavanger, Faculty of Social Sciences. She serves as Study Programme Co-ordinator for Gender Studies and Director of both the Research Group on Populism, Anti-Gender and Democracy and the National Research School in Gender Studies. Her academic journey includes prior appointments at McGill University, Shandong University, University of Oslo, Duke University, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, and the International Institute for Asian Studies at Leiden University. PhD in Social Anthropology, London School of Economics (2008) MSc in Gender Studies and Anthropology, London School of Economics BA in Anthropology and Chinese Studies, University of Oslo and Sichuan Union University Certificate in Advanced Chinese, Xiamen University Engebretsen's research focuses on ethnographic analyses of gender and sexual diversities, intersectional inequalities, and political activism in China, East Asia, Nordic Europe, and transnational contexts. Her expertise spans queer and feminist theory, anti-gender movements, Pride politics, climate justice, and lesbian/queer history. She has co-edited key volumes such as Feminist Activism in the Post-2010s Sinosphere (2024) and is currently working on Pride på Norsk , a book on queer rights, democracy, and humanity. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward analyzing transnational anti-gender politics, queer climate justice, and methodological innovation through a Sino-Nordic lens. She frequently publishes on academic freedom, media representation, and the violent potentials of disinformation campaigns targeting LGBTQ+ communities. Her work bridges empirical ethnography with critical theory-building. Editor-in-Chief, Lambda Nordica (2020–2025) Editorial Board, Feminist Anthropology Editorial Board, The Cambridge Journal of Anthropology Co-Editor, Theorizing Ethnography: Concept, Context, Critique book series (Routledge, 2018–2024) Engebretsen supervises PhD candidates across Nordic and European institutions and has led nationally funded research projects such as QUEERDOM (Research Council of Norway, 2021–2026) and a study on working conditions for queer academics. She co-founded the Nordic Feminist Theory Workshop and is actively engaged in public scholarship, regularly contributing to media and policy debates on gender, sexuality, and democracy. She leads or participates in research teams including the Research Group on Populism, Anti-Gender and Democracy and the National Research School in Gender Studies, fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary, and transnationally oriented gender research.

• Gender Studies
• Queer Studies
• Feminist Theory
• +15 more

Birgitte Kjos Fonn is a Professor at Oslo Metropolitan University's Faculty of Social Sciences within the Department of Journalism and Media Studies. Her research spans digital journalism, media narration, and youth media literacy, with significant contributions to understanding cultural and technological preconditions for youth participation in digital dialogue spaces through the U-YouPa project. Her research interests focus on media history , journalism ethics , and gender representation in media , with particular expertise in Norwegian media landscapes. She examines how historical narratives shape contemporary discourse, investigates ethical boundaries in journalistic practice, and analyzes gender norms in sports and cultural reporting. Her work bridges historical analysis with current media challenges, especially regarding digital transitions and professional identity in journalism. Analysis of her recent publications reveals strong thematic continuity in media historiography and ethical frameworks , with increasing focus on geopolitical narratives and youth engagement. Her 2024-2025 work shows methodological diversity across historical analysis, contemporary case studies, and theoretical ethics debates, often examining Norwegian media through comparative international lenses. As active member of the Media Narration Group (MNG) research collective, she contributes to collaborative projects examining narrative structures in digital media environments. Her current work demonstrates growing engagement with geopolitical storytelling in sports media and critical analysis of media's role in societal memory formation.

• Digital Journalism
• Media Narration
• Youth Media Literacy
• +5 more