Hilde Bjørkhaug

Hilde Bjørkhaug is Professor in the Department of Sociology and Political Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), specializing in sociological theory with focus on agriculture and food systems. Her academic journey includes prior positions as Research Professor at RURALIS Institute for Rural and Regional Research and Researcher at Nordland Research Institute.

Her research spans sociology of agriculture, food systems analysis, and rural development, with particular emphasis on financialization, land use conflicts, sustainable development, climate change challenges, and gender perspectives. She actively examines power relations in agricultural policy and organizational change, notably tracking Norwegian gender balance legislation in boardrooms. Her theoretical work advances sociological methods in agrifood contexts.

Recent publications reveal strong trends in agri-food financialization, animal welfare ethics, and pandemic impacts on food systems. Her work frequently addresses the tension between industrial efficiency and ecological/social values in farming, with increasing focus on climate policy acceptance and small farm resilience in European contexts.

Bjørkhaug coordinates major international projects and serves on the executive board of the International Sociological Association’s Research Committee 40 (sociology of agriculture and food). She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Rural Studies and active in the European Society for Rural Sociology.

She contributes extensively to public discourse through newspaper columns in Nationen and other media, translating academic insights on bioeconomy, land use ethics, and gender equity in agriculture for broader audiences. Her leadership in research coordination demonstrates significant grant acquisition and management expertise across Nordic and European frameworks.