Hilde Bjørkhaug

Hilde Bjørkhaug is a Professor in Sociology at NTNU’s Department of Sociology and Political Science, specializing in sociological theory with a focus on agriculture, food systems, and rural development. She holds leadership roles in academic organizations, including Secretary/Treasurer of the International Sociological Association’s Research Committee 40 and editorial board member of the Journal of Rural Studies.

Her research spans topics like land use ethics, climate policy impacts, gender equality in farming, and financialization of agri-food systems. She has led international projects and published extensively, including co-editing influential books like Finance or Food? (2020) and The Financialization of Agri-Food Systems (2018). Her work bridges academia and public discourse through newspaper columns and policy analyses.

Bjørkhaug’s recent studies address animal welfare representation in social media, migrant labor precarity during the pandemic, and rural responses to climate policy. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates sociological theory with empirical research on global food systems and sustainability challenges.

She has collaborated with institutions like RURALIS and Nordland Research Institute and contributes to Nordic and EU agricultural policy debates. Her research emphasizes ethical and equity dimensions of agricultural transformations, advocating for socially just and environmentally sustainable food systems.