Eva Josefsen

Eva Josefsen is a Professor of Social Sciences with a PhD in Political Science at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, based at the Alta campus. She works in the Department of Child Welfare and Social Work, focusing on Truth and Reconciliation processes, Sami politics, and historical assimilation policies in Norway. Her research examines the Norwegian Truth and Reconciliation Commission's work and its implications for indigenous rights and welfare state systems.

Her primary research interests include Truth and Reconciliation processes, democracy and political governance, public administration, co-management arrangements, electoral research, and Sami politics. She explores how historical injustices against the Sami, Kven, and Norwegian Finns can be addressed through reconciliation mechanisms within the Norwegian welfare state framework. Her work critically examines assimilation policies and their ongoing impacts on indigenous communities.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on the Norwegian Truth and Reconciliation Commission's work, particularly regarding historical recognition, indigenous narratives, and the welfare state's relationship with Sami communities. Her research spans academic journals, policy analyses, and public commentary, showing consistent engagement with contemporary debates about reconciliation in Norway.

Dr. Josefsen is actively involved in multiple research initiatives including the TRUCOM project, which examines the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's work, with specific attention to narratives about sexual abuse in Sami communities and health/social policy in Sami parliamentary elections. She also participates in research groups focused on Indigenous voices and postcolonial studies in the North.

Based at UiT's Alta campus, she contributes to research examining the intersection of indigenous rights, historical justice, and contemporary welfare state policies, with particular emphasis on how truth and reconciliation processes can inform future policy directions in Norway's northern regions.