Carlo Koos

Carlo Koos is a Professor of Political Science in the Department of Government at the University of Bergen, Norway. He is also an associated senior researcher at the Chr. Michelsens Institute (CMI) and the Development Learning Lab. His research focuses on the political and social consequences of war, particularly on gender dynamics, community cohesion, and political behavior in conflict-affected regions. He leads the ERC-funded WarEffects project and collaborates with major international organizations including UNICEF, the Red Cross, and the World Bank.

Education and Background:

• Former humanitarian aid worker with Médecins Sans Frontières in South Sudan, Libya, Egypt, Swaziland, and Uganda.

Research Interests: Carlo Koos’s work centers on civil wars, political violence, conflict-related sexual violence, post-conflict resilience, and the impact of foreign aid. He employs survey-based methods in fragile contexts across sub-Saharan Africa. His research explores how experiences of war shape social attitudes, with a strong emphasis on gendered consequences and stigma. He also investigates the effectiveness of reconstruction programs and humanitarian interventions.

Recent Research Trends: Over the past decade, his publications have increasingly focused on the micro-level effects of wartime sexual violence, using innovative methodologies such as list experiments to study sensitive topics. His work bridges political science, gender studies, and development research, often combining historical and contemporary analysis to understand long-term legacies of conflict.

Scientific Awards:

• ERC Starting Grant for the WarEffects project

Advising and Grants: Koos leads a major ERC-funded project on conflict and gender, and advises international NGOs and agencies on human rights and gender equality. He has secured funding from the European Research Council (ERC), Horizon Europe, and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). He mentors early-career researchers through the WarEffects Global Fellows Network, offering research grants and publication support.

Labs and Teams: He leads the WarEffects research team at the University of Bergen, which brings together scholars studying civil wars, violence, and gender. The project hosts workshops and conferences, including the EuroWEPS conference, and fosters a global network of researchers focused on the micro-dynamics of conflict and peace.