Mary-Anne Karlsen

Mary-Anne Karlsen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Bergen (UiB), Faculty of Social Sciences. She is also affiliated with the Center for Women's and Gender Research (SKOK) and leads IMER Bergen (International Migration and Ethnic Relations Research Unit). Her work bridges legal anthropology, migration studies, and gender research.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Social Anthropology (2015) and a major in Human Geography (2006), both from the University of Bergen. Her research critically examines the intersections of migration control, welfare policy, and temporal regimes in the Nordic and European contexts.

Her research interests center on the precarious inclusion of irregular migrants, particularly in healthcare and social services. She explores how states govern through time, vulnerability, and expert knowledge in asylum processes. Her work combines legal ethnography and legal archaeology to analyze how temporalities shape migrant experiences and legal outcomes.

Her recent publications reflect a strong focus on chronopolitics, waiting, temporary protection, and the ethical dilemmas faced by care providers in migration contexts. The articles span topics from Spain’s southern maritime borders to Norwegian welfare practices, revealing systemic patterns of inclusion and exclusion.

• ERC Starting Grant (2022) for 'Contested Knowledges in and through Asylum Litigation' (ASYKNOW)
• Contributions to major projects: TEMPO (NFR), PROTECT (Horizon 2020), WAIT (NFR), and Peder Sather collaborations

Karlsen has advised and collaborated with researchers such as Kari Anne Drangsland, Jessica Schultz, and Christine M. Jacobsen. She has secured substantial external funding and leads interdisciplinary teams. Her work contributes to public debate through op-eds and policy briefs on refugee rights and family reunification.

She is active in research groups focused on gender and sexuality, and participates in international networks such as Nordic Migration Research. Her academic breakfast events and public lectures promote knowledge sharing within the university and beyond.