Ingunn Marie Eriksen

Ingunn Marie Eriksen is a Research Professor at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), affiliated with the Centre for Welfare and Labour Research (NOVA) within the Youth Research group. She holds a PhD in Cultural Studies (2013) and specializes in qualitative methodologies, focusing on social inequality, youth experiences, and educational environments. Her work examines gender, ethnicity, bullying, mental health, and school environments through longitudinal studies like the Inequality in Youth project.

Key research areas include rural youth futures (Future of Nordic Youth in Rural Regions), classed health lifestyles, and psychosocial stress in elite schools. She co-edits the Nordic Journal for Youth Research and leads projects such as LIFECHANCES, investigating how youth differences translate into life inequalities. Her recent publications address self-optimization trends, gendered district effects, and sports as social inclusion markers.

• Education: PhD in Cultural Studies (2013)
• Research Groups: Youth Research at NOVA
• Key Projects: Inequality in Youth, Future of Nordic Rural Youth, LIFECHANCES
• Grants: PI of qualitative longitudinal programs funded by national research councils

Eriksen’s work bridges academic research with policy impact, addressing youth well-being, civic participation, and systemic inequality through mixed-method approaches. Her findings inform educational and public health policies in Norway and the Nordic region.