Dag Henrik Tuastad is a Professor of Middle East Studies at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages (IKOS) at the University of Oslo. His research focuses on kinship dynamics in Palestinian politics, rebel governance (notably Hamas rule in Gaza 2007–2023), political representation crises, and the intersection of sports and politics in the Middle East. Current projects include senior research at Football and Religion in the Middle East (FORM) , funded by the Norwegian Research Council (2021–2026) Former project leader for Rebel Governance in the Middle East (2017–2021) PhD in Social Anthropology (2008) on kinship in Palestinian politics His recent publications analyze Hamas’s symbolic authority, football’s role in Jordanian-Palestinian identity formation, and the erosion of legal frameworks in the West Bank. He critiques media bias (e.g., in Qatar World Cup coverage) and explores how football culture reflects broader political tensions. Teaching: Courses on Middle East history, cultural anthropology, and conflict resolution Regional Focus: Palestine, Jordan, Gaza, and the Levant
Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesNorway
Yuliya Chernykh is a Full Professor of Law at Inland Norway University and an Associate Professor II at the University of Oslo. She specializes in legal text interpretation (contracts and treaties), national-international law intersections, and fields like contract law, sports law, and comparative law. Her research focuses on arbitration practices in international law contexts. She holds qualifications as a Chartered Arbitrator (2013) and CEDR-accredited Mediator (2024). Chernykh leads the Legal Development research group and contributes to projects such as the COPIID initiative on investment dispute compliance. She has published widely, including her monograph Contract Interpretation in Investment Treaty Arbitration (2022, Open Access). Her work spans journals like European Journal of International Law and books with Oxford University Press and Brill. Education: PhD in International Investment Law and Arbitration (University of Oslo) LLM in International Commercial Arbitration (Stockholm University) LLB (National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy) Postgraduate Diploma in International Trade Law (University of Turin) Research & Awards: Monograph: Contract Interpretation in Investment Treaty Arbitration (Brill, 2022) Key contributions to ISDS Academic Forum reports and international arbitration studies Recipient of Chartered Arbitrator and CEDR Mediation certifications Grants & Collaborations: COPIID project funded by Norway’s Research Council International Law Association Committee on ADR in International Law Advising: Supervises master’s and doctoral students in international law, comparative law, and dispute resolution.
Norwegian University of Science And TechnologyNorway
Yuri Cowan is a Professor at the Department of Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He holds a doctorate from the University of Toronto (2008) and joined NTNU in 2012 after a post-doctoral fellowship at Ghent University's Research Project on Authorship as Performance. His research focuses on book history, medieval material culture, and speculative fiction, with a particular emphasis on William Morris's works, Victorian print culture, and textual histories. He is currently completing a book manuscript on William Morris and Medieval Material Culture and exploring speculative fiction's portrayal of book technologies. Dr. Cowan serves as co-editor of Book History (since 2019) and founding editor of Authorship . He also contributes to Mémoires du livre and maintains the online catalog of William Morris's library. His editorial roles include managing editorships and advisory board memberships for several journals, reflecting his commitment to open-access scholarship and digital preservation. Research highlights include studies on Norwegian broadside ballads, Victorian periodicals, and the Aesthetic Movement. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary speculative fiction, addressing themes like authorship, materiality, and textual recovery. Recent outreach activities include lectures on book history and science fiction’s regional variations in Cascadia and California.
Alexander Refsum Jensenius is a Professor of Music Technology and Director of the RITMO Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion at the University of Oslo. He also leads the fourMs Lab and co-founded the MishMash Centre for AI and Creativity. His work bridges musicology, psychology, and technology, focusing on embodied music cognition, human motion analysis, and creative applications of AI. Notably, he pioneered research on air guitar motion and human micromotion through projects like the Oslo Standstill Database . Educated at the University of Oslo (BA in Music and Mathematics, MA in Musicology) and Chalmers University of Technology (MSc in Applied IT), Jensenius holds a PhD in Music Technology from UiO. He has held visiting researcher roles at UC Berkeley, McGill University, and KTH. Leadership roles include Department of Musicology Head (2013–2016) and Steering Committee Chair for the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME, 2011–2022). Research interests span music-related body motion, AI in creative contexts, and open research practices. Key contributions include the Music Moves and Motion Capture MOOCs, the Musical Gestures Toolbox software, and monographs like Sound Actions and Sonic Design . His work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, with projects addressing ventilation systems' acoustic properties and cell culture vibrational effects. Awards include the European Open Data Champion recognition. He advocates for open science and maintains extensive digital archives of research materials, emphasizing institutional web pages as critical research infrastructure.
Fiona Jane Dowling is a Professor of Pedagogy at the Department of Sport and Social Sciences , Norwegian School of Sport Sciences . With a background in physical education, qualitative research, and social justice, she has contributed extensively to teacher education and sport sociology through research, teaching, and scholarly publications. Education: PhD in Physical Education Teacher Life Histories, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (1998) MSc, Loughborough University (1989) Research Interests: Dowling’s research spans physical education pedagogy , narrative inquiry , gender and race in sport , and teacher professional development . She explores how identity, equity, and inclusion are shaped within educational and sporting contexts, with a particular focus on marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities, refugees, and women in sport. Her work often employs qualitative methodologies , especially narrative inquiry , to give voice to teachers, students, and families. She has examined how discourses around race, gender, and inclusion are constructed and enacted in policy and practice, particularly in physical education and youth sport. Recent Publications Trends: Dowling’s recent publications focus on children’s rights in sport , ethnic inclusion in sport policy , and qualitative research in sport studies . Her scholarly output reflects a consistent engagement with critical social issues in education and sport, using discourse analysis and narrative methods to interrogate systemic inequities and advocate for transformative pedagogies. Scientific Contributions: Co-editor of the book Equity and Difference in Physical Education, Youth Sport and Health: A Narrative Approach (Routledge, 2012) Contributor to multiple international handbooks and edited volumes on physical education and sport pedagogy Published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters Teaching and Supervision: Dowling teaches courses in sport sociology , pedagogy , physical activity and health , research methodology , and qualitative methods . She has supervised numerous master’s and doctoral students and is actively involved in curriculum development and teacher training programs. Current Projects: International study on teacher educators’ and teachers’ perspectives on whiteness, race, and anti-racism in physical education and sport (funded by the British Academy) Investigation of sport and physical activity provision for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers Contact: Email: fionajd@nih.no Phone: +47 23 26 24 16 Mobile: +47 92 40 43 32
Lars-Erik Alkvist serves as a Lecturer in Sociology at Dalarna University, Sweden, with his institutional address at Högskolan i Dalarna, 791 88 Falun. His academic career demonstrates sustained engagement with sociological theory applied to sports contexts, particularly examining the relationship between sports and perfection. His research interests form a cohesive intellectual trajectory: Sociological analysis of sports and perfection phenomena Historical development of sports institutions and practices Application of Max Weber's theoretical framework to sports studies Sociology of the body within athletic contexts Theoretical explorations of social structures in sports Modern and postmodern theoretical approaches to sports phenomena Alkvist's scholarly output reveals a clear evolution from foundational theoretical work on Max Weber's contributions to sociology toward increasingly specialized applications within sports contexts. His doctoral thesis on Weber and body sociology represents a significant theoretical contribution, while his later work demonstrates growing specialization in sports sociology. His extensive book review activity across diverse sports topics indicates active participation in scholarly discourse and intellectual engagement with contemporary debates in the field. His reviewing portfolio spans critical examinations of sports ethics, Olympic studies, prison sports programs, and analyses of specific sports like biathlon, demonstrating breadth within his sociological approach to sports phenomena. This pattern suggests a scholar deeply committed to theoretical rigor while maintaining practical relevance to contemporary sports issues.
Elisabet Apelmo serves as Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Work at Malmö University, Sweden. A visual artist with a PhD in Sociology, she bridges creative practice and academic inquiry to explore the complex intersections of bodily experience, sport, disability, and gender within contemporary society. Her research program centers on sociological analyses of bodily difference, particularly examining how physical education environments construct inclusion and exclusion through gendered and ableist frameworks. Apelmo employs phenomenological approaches and visual methodology to investigate how disabled bodies navigate sporting spaces, challenging normative assumptions about athletic participation and bodily capability. Her work consistently reveals how sporting cultures simultaneously enable and constrain identities, particularly for women and people with disabilities. Analysis of Apelmo's publication history shows sustained engagement with critical disability theory, gender studies, and sport sociology spanning nearly two decades. Her scholarship demonstrates methodological innovation through visual approaches and phenomenological frameworks, with recurring themes including the social construction of disability in sport contexts, gendered bodily experiences in physical education, and the material-semiotic relationships between bodies and technologies like wheelchairs. Among her current research initiatives are investigations into participation and exclusion dynamics in mainstream physical education from disability and gender perspectives, and ethnographic studies examining how dancers strategically use their bodies and gazes to disrupt stereotypical perceptions of physical impairment. These projects reflect her commitment to generating knowledge that directly challenges ableist assumptions within sporting cultures and educational settings.
Victor Hansen is a Lecturer in the Department of Norwegian for International Students at the University of Oslo, affiliated with the Institute of Linguistic and Nordic Studies. His research focuses on Medieval Scandinavian legal texts and their linguistic and cultural contexts. He contributed to the volume *Sport und Spiel bei den Germanen* with an analysis of dual narratives in medieval Scandinavian legal texts. His work bridges legal history, linguistics, and cultural studies. He is part of the research group *Språk og didaktikk i en andrespråkskontekst (SODA)*, exploring language pedagogy in foreign language contexts. He teaches courses on Norwegian for international students and maintains an office at HW 314, reachable by appointment.
Sondre Sæther is a PhD Research Fellow at the Department of Teacher Education and Outdoor Studies at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH). He works within the academic framework of physical education and teacher training, focusing his research on the conceptualization and implementation of play in educational settings. His primary research interests include: Play in physical education Curriculum theory and development Educational policy making Physical education pedagogy Qualitative research methods Educational sciences Sæther's work examines how play is understood, structured, and implemented within physical education curricula, particularly at the secondary and upper secondary school levels. His research bridges theoretical concepts with practical classroom applications, exploring the historical evolution of play concepts in Norwegian physical education and how teachers translate these concepts into their teaching practices. His publications reveal a consistent focus on play as a fundamental element of physical education. The research examines both the structural aspects of play implementation and the conceptual frameworks that guide how play is understood within educational contexts. Through qualitative methodologies, Sæther's work provides insights into the complex relationship between curriculum design, teacher interpretation, and classroom practice in physical education. Sæther is affiliated with "The Field Group" research group at NIH, which provides a collaborative environment for his investigations into physical education practices and pedagogy. His teaching responsibilities in the teacher education program complement his research, creating a reciprocal relationship between theory and practice in his academic work.
Eirik Brazier serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Culture, Religion and Social Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), where he teaches history and social studies in teacher education programs and international politics through IFOS (Year-long course in international understanding and cooperation). His academic appointments include editorial roles at Store norske leksikon as subject editor for First World War, Canadian, and Australian history, and as topic editor for Norway at 1914-1918 online, the International Encyclopedia of the First World War. His research spans multiple interconnected domains including British colonial history, Norwegian involvement in World War I (despite official neutrality), intelligence operations during wartime, and the cultural history of bicycles. Recent scholarly output demonstrates particular focus on Norwegian war decorations from World War II, German military brothels during occupation, and Scandinavian participation in Allied forces. His methodological approach combines traditional archival research with digital history techniques and analysis of gaming culture's relationship to historical understanding. Academic trends in his publication record reveal increasing specialization in transnational military history, with growing emphasis on microhistorical case studies (e.g., individual soldiers like Knut Werswick) alongside broader analyses of imperial structures. His work consistently bridges academic and public history through popular science contributions in media outlets like Dagbladet and radio appearances on NRK P2, particularly regarding Haus Sphinx brothel investigations and Norwegian-American combat experiences. Brazier actively participates in multiple research collectives including the Political Culture Research Group at USN, the Social Science Didactics Research Group, the Nordic Surveillance History Network ("Maktens øyne og ører"), and international collaborations like the Australia Canada New Zealand Research Network. His current projects explore Scandinavia's role in World War I, digital tools for historical education, and the social history of cycling as cultural phenomenon.
Kerry Stephen Seiler is a Professor at the University of Agder in Norway, specifically within the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education under the Faculty of Health and Sport. He has been actively involved in research and consultation since the late 1990s, including roles as a research consultant for the Sorlandet Regional Hospital and the Norwegian Olympic Federation. Masters in Exercise Science (1987), University of Arkansas PhD in Kinesiology (Exercise Physiology and Biochemistry, 1995), University of Texas His research focuses on Exercise Physiology , particularly the interaction between brain and body during physical exertion and how cardiovascular systems adapt to training . He developed the SPADE research group (Sports Performance and Athlete Development Environments) and is a leading voice in 80/20 endurance training principles. Recent publications emphasize training intensity distribution , low-intensity endurance strategies , and polarized training models . His work often intersects with practical applications in professional cycling and endurance sports. Fellow, European College of Sport Science Fellow, American College of Sports Medicine He has contributed extensively to media platforms like Fast Talk Laboratories , The Roadman Cycling Podcast , and Podcast Feel Better Live More , discussing topics ranging from Zone 2 training to exercise as a longevity tool .
Torbjörn Andersson is a docent (Associate Professor) in sports science at Malmö University's Department of Sports Science within the Faculty of Education and Society. His academic career has been dedicated to the historical and cultural study of football, particularly focusing on Swedish football's development and its societal impact. Andersson's research interests center on football history with a particular emphasis on Swedish football culture across different historical periods. His work explores themes such as football hooliganism from 1900-1970, the relationship between football and alcohol in Swedish society, football's role in urban identity and city marketing, and the cultural significance of football clubs in local communities. He has extensively documented how football has shaped and reflected Swedish social history. His publication record spans several decades with notable works including his doctoral dissertation "Kung Fotboll. Den svenska fotbollens kulturhistoria från 1800-talets slut till 1950" (King Football: The Cultural History of Swedish Football from the End of the 19th Century to 1950) and co-edited special issues of "Soccer and Society" on topics like "Football in Scandinavia: A Fusion of Welfare Policy and the Market" and "Centres and Peripheries in Soccer." His recent work shows continued engagement with contemporary football scholarship through numerous book reviews on football politics, history, and culture. Andersson is currently working on a book about Swedish football's cultural heritage, continuing his lifelong scholarly commitment to documenting and analyzing the historical significance of football in Swedish society. His research demonstrates consistent focus on how football reflects broader social, political, and cultural developments in Sweden.
Ugo Corte is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Stavanger's Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Media and Social Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from Uppsala University (2012) and was an Erik Allardt Fellow at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies. His research focuses on creative work, small groups, cultural dynamics, and qualitative research methodologies. Notable contributions include his ethnographic book *Dangerous Fun* (2022), which won the 2023 Charles Horton Cooley Award, and foundational work on collaborative circles theory. Teaching responsibilities include courses on microsociology, sociology of creativity, and advanced qualitative methods. He serves on the editorial board of *Sociologica: International Journal for Sociological Debate*, co-editing its FOCUS section. His work bridges micro-sociological analysis with broader cultural studies, emphasizing empirical rigor and theoretical innovation. Research highlights include studies on extreme sports subcultures, workplace profanity as community-building, and the intersection of creativity and social structures. His interdisciplinary approach integrates ethnography, interaction ritual theory, and qualitative methodology debates to explore group dynamics and cultural production. Recent scholarship emphasizes 'dark fun' in hedonic communities and the role of obscenity in workgroup cohesion. He has presented globally at conferences like the Sociological Game Theory Symposium and the Modes of Immersion conference. His academic outputs span books, journal articles, and keynote addresses, reflecting a commitment to advancing both theoretical and empirical frontiers in sociology.
Lars Kirkhusmo Pharo is a Professor of Religion and Ethics at Nord University since 2018. He holds appointments as Research Associate at Harvard University (2009), Research Partner at Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte (2015), and Affiliated Scholar at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Theology (2017). His research focuses on languages, literacy, semiotics, and the history of ideas in the Americas and Europe, with a particular emphasis on indigenous knowledge systems, applied ethics, and political structures of indigenous peoples. Pharo's work bridges disciplines including anthropology, religious studies, and historical linguistics. He explores topics such as Mesoamerican calendrical systems, indigenous political philosophies (e.g., the Haudenosaunee Confederacy), and the ethical debates of colonial encounters like the Valladolid Council (1550–1551). His publications analyze concepts of human dignity, missionary translation politics, and the sociopolitical role of ritual practices in pre-Columbian societies. Key Research Themes : Indigenous legal and political systems Cultural translation and semiotics Colonial ethics and human rights Mesoamerican ritual and time philosophy Recent Publications Trends : Focus on autochthonous Latin American religions (2023) Analysis of indigenous concepts of freedom and governance (2014–2019) Interdisciplinary studies on colonial linguistic and religious policies His collaborative work includes co-authoring studies on Sami demographics (2023) and contributing to encyclopedic entries on missionary organizations like Wycliffe Bible Translators (2020). While no awards are explicitly listed, his extensive academic network reflects international recognition in his fields.
Hans Bolling is a Senior Lecturer in History at Stockholm University . His research focuses on recreational sports, health promotion, disability sports, and the Olympic Games, with a particular emphasis on Swedish sports history and football (soccer) studies.
