Jonas Stein

Jonas Stein is an Associate Professor in Political Science at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Teacher Education, Department of Social Sciences. His primary research areas include Norwegian and European politics, with additional expertise in municipal politics and Sami politics. He teaches statistics and methods, comparative politics, and the European Union, and has contributed to major Norwegian election research projects related to parliamentary, local, and Sami parliament elections. Previously a visiting researcher at Sciences Po - Paris and the University of Melbourne, he has published in journals such as Party Politics, Urban Studies, Regional & Federal Studies, and Territory, Politics, Governance.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Political Science (2019)
• Practical Pedagogical Education (PPU) from University of Tromsø (2011)
• MA in Political Science from University of Tromsø (2010)
• BA in Political Science from University of Tromsø (2007)
• BA studies in European Studies, King's College, London (2005)
• Baccalauréat français social-economic line, Rouen, France (2004)

Stein specializes in quantitative and comparative analyses of political phenomena. His research focuses on Norwegian and European politics, political trust, and the effects of political reforms. He has conducted extensive research on political and demographic development in Northern Norway, revealing surprising similarities between Northern Norway and Northern Sweden despite different policy approaches. His work on center-periphery dimensions in political trust has contributed to understanding geographic factors in political attitudes within Norway, identifying how education, satisfaction with public services, volunteering, and voter turnout explain differences in the Norwegian society.

Stein's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on electoral behavior, political trust, and regional development. His work spans Norwegian, Sami, and comparative European politics, with particular attention to center-periphery dynamics. He has published extensively on Sami politics and elections, examining party systems and representation, while his cross-national work on urban-rural polarization shows his expanding comparative perspective. His historical analysis of WWII's political consequences in Northern Norway reveals diverse research interests that bridge contemporary political science with historical analysis.

Scientific Awards:

• Winner of HSL faculty honor prize for research dissemination (2020)
• Winner of HSL faculty honor prize for teaching with the "Gators method" project (2020)
• Member of the Academy for Young Researchers (2019-2023)

Stein serves as a supervisor for bachelor's theses at UiT and has experience as an external examiner for political science subjects from multiple Norwegian universities. His research is supported by involvement in The Stein Rokkan Research Group for Quantitative Social and Political Science and the "Verktøy for å studere samfunnet" project. He has developed the "Gator" dataset, which tracks political, social, and economic development at the municipal level in Norway since 1945, providing valuable resources for quantitative-comparative studies.

Stein is actively involved in The Stein Rokkan Research Group for Quantitative Social and Political Science, focusing on governance and democracy. His work with the "Gator" dataset represents a significant contribution to Norwegian political science research infrastructure. He has also served as a university board representative for UiT (2019-2020, 2021-2025) and has substantial public service experience from Tromsø municipal politics (2007-2018).