Ragnhild Overå

Ragnhild Overå is a Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Bergen, specializing in human geography with a focus on African countries, particularly Ghana. Her research combines fieldwork examining socio-economic processes in local communities with analysis of national and global scale dynamics.

Her educational background includes a Dr.polit. degree with a dissertation titled 'Partners and competitors: Gendered entrepreneurship in Ghanaian canoe fisheries' (1998).

Research Interests

Professor Overå's research spans multiple interconnected areas including gender studies, small-scale fisheries, food systems, food and nutrition security, territorial markets, informal economies, entrepreneurship, urban development, globalization, and political ecology. She has developed particular expertise in studying how local communities navigate global economic processes, with a consistent focus on gender dynamics.

Her current research projects include:

• SAMAKI (2021-2026): Examining the overlooked role of small fish in fighting malnutrition
• Small Fish and Food security (SmallFishFood) (2018-2022): Investigating how small fish species contribute to food security in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda
• Enclaving: Patterns of global futures in three African cities (2018-2023): Studying urbanization and inequalities in Johannesburg, Maputo, and Accra
• MARICA: Mapping marine resource conflicts across sub-Saharan Africa (2019-2022): Analyzing conflicts in coastal communities

Her publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of gender, economic development, and resource management in African contexts, with particular attention to fisheries, urban development, and food systems. Over her career, she has demonstrated how local actors, especially women, navigate and shape global economic processes.

Scientific Recognition

While specific awards aren't listed in the provided materials, Professor Overå's extensive publication record in high-impact journals and her leadership of multiple research projects funded by the Research Council of Norway demonstrate significant recognition in her field.

Mentorship and Collaboration

Professor Overå has supervised numerous master's and doctoral students, particularly focusing on Ghanaian contexts. Her collaborative work spans disciplines including biology, nutrition science, anthropology, and geography, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary approaches to complex development challenges.

Laboratory and Research Groups

She is affiliated with research groups including Environment and Landscape Geography and Human Geography at the University of Bergen. Her work often involves field research teams in Ghana and other African countries, collaborating with local researchers and institutions.