Kathleen M. Jennings

Kathleen M. Jennings is a postdoctoral fellow and Deputy Head of Organization and Development at the Department of Sociology and Political Science (ISS), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Her interdisciplinary research bridges security studies, gender studies, peace and conflict studies, and political economy, focusing on the institutional and lived realities of UN peace operations in conflict-affected countries. She previously served as Head of Section for Research and Development at OsloMet and as Senior Researcher at Fafo.

Education:

• PhD in Political Science, University of Oslo
• M.Phil in Politics, University of Oxford
• BA (Honors) in Political Science, Stanford University

Research Interests: Jennings’ scholarship centers on the intersections of gender, security, and political economy in UN peacekeeping contexts. Her work employs qualitative methods—including interviews, focus groups, and discourse analysis—to examine topics such as sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping, gendered peacekeeping economies, DDR processes, and discourses of diversity and inclusion within the Norwegian Armed Forces.

Recent Research Direction: Since 2023, her postdoctoral project investigates how discourses of equality and diversity within the Norwegian military interact with evolving concepts of citizenship, masculinity, and national interest, and how these narratives translate into organizational practices and resource allocation.

Grants & Projects: Jennings has led or co-led externally funded projects supported by the Research Council of Norway, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the US Institute of Peace, the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution, and the Atlas Alliance.

Teaching: She teaches and supervises at both MA and BA levels at NTNU, including courses on rebuilding after war, causes of war, and introduction to political science.