Vetle Ulrichsen Flaget

Vetle Ulrichsen Flaget is a PhD Research Fellow at the University of Agder's Institute for Global Development and Community Planning, actively engaged in research on multi-level governance and spatial planning across local, regional, and national contexts. His work critically examines how formalized knowledge production processes shape planning outcomes and power dynamics in development projects.

His research centers on the intersection of politics and planning disciplines, with particular focus on land use conflicts in energy infrastructure development. Flaget investigates how planning tools like maps and environmental impact assessments influence the recognition of societal benefits and burdens, especially in offshore wind projects where seabed installations connect to terrestrial infrastructure. He explores how these tools mediate conflicts over who bears development consequences.

Recent publications reveal a strong thematic concentration on governance complexities in energy transitions and tourism development. His work demonstrates consistent methodological emphasis on knowledge production processes within planning frameworks, with recurring analysis of map-based decision-making and multi-scalar institutional interactions. Key trends include critical examination of environmental assessment protocols and participatory gaps in infrastructure planning.

Flaget actively contributes to the "Energy and society" research group, focusing on societal dimensions of energy transitions. His teaching covers foundational planning theory, national planning systems, and market-planning interactions in courses like Introduction to Community Planning (SV-151), emphasizing practical applications of planning tools in real-world governance scenarios.