Ola Harstad

Ola Harstad is an Associate Professor of Norwegian at the Department of Teacher Education within the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). His academic work bridges literature, philosophy, and educational theory, with particular focus on how philosophical concepts inform teaching practices and literary understanding.

His educational background includes a doctoral dissertation titled "Mot en mindre litteraturlærer. En fremskrivning av problemet om litteraturlærerens bliven" (2018) from NTNU and a Master's thesis "Litteraturdidaktiske posisjoner: ideologi og strategi. En dialogisk diskursanalyse" (2012) from Høgskolen i Sør-Trøndelag.

Harstad's research interests span philosophical aesthetics, literature didactics, literature and educational philosophy, metaphysics, and Norwegian didactics. His work frequently explores the intersection of continental philosophy (particularly Deleuze and Schopenhauer) with educational practices, examining how literary experiences shape cognitive and existential development. He investigates improvisation in educational settings and the philosophical dimensions of literature teaching, with special attention to how students engage with texts and how meaning is constructed in classroom contexts.

His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on the philosophical underpinnings of literature education, with particular attention to Schopenhauer's philosophy, Deleuze's concepts applied to educational settings, and the relationship between aesthetics and pedagogy. His work spans multiple formats including scholarly articles, book chapters, edited volumes, and conference presentations that bridge theoretical philosophy with practical educational applications.

• Neurodidactics at the Department of Teacher Education (NTNU)
• Humanities and Society (HumSam) at the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning (NTNU)
• Aesthetics across disciplines at the Department of Teacher Education (NTNU)

His teaching includes courses such as LOS8010 - Individually Selected Text - Theory and LOS8011 - Current Issue Formidling, indicating a focus on advanced literary analysis and communication of contemporary issues.