Research Interests
Ragnhild Nordås focuses on what has been one of the most important gaps in the conflict literature: The relative lack of attention given to sexual and gender-based violence. It is only within the last fifteen years that political scientists have begun to engage with this as a topic of rigorous empirical study, in part for lack of available data. Nordås studies sexual violence and sexual harassment as part of warfare as well as during times of relative peace. Her current book project focuses on states as perpetrators, and the causes and consequences of sexualized repression.
Dr. Nordås is a recipient of PhD funding from the Centre for the Study of Civil War (CSCW), a Predoctoral Fellowship from the Belfer Center at Harvard Kennedy School, and has been a visiting fellow at the Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame 2010-2011.She has received research grants from the Research Council of Norway, Folke Bernadotte Academy, Sweden; National Science Foundation, US; and the Norwegian Foreign Ministry. Her work to date has been published in, amongst other, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Peace Research, Journal of Conflict Resolution, International Studies Quarterly and Political Geography.
Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict (SVAC)
The SVAC research project responds to the gravity of the problem of sexual violence and the critical need for more systematic information by creating a comprehensive Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict (SVAC) dataset covering the twenty-year period 1989–2009 as well as targeted case studies. We will use this data to analyze patterns of sexual violence in and across conflicts and conflict actors, including in the immediate aftermath of war. By disseminating our data and findings, we seek to advance the research on conflict processes, raise awareness of the problem of sexual violence in armed conflicts, and facilitate evidence-based preventive strategies.
For more information on the global SVAC database see www.sexualviolencedata.org where an updated version of the dataset is available (November 2016) here
Female Empowerment in Eastern DR Congo (NORGLOBAL)
http://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1094
Project investigating how survivors of sexual and gender-based violence can be
empowered and reintegrated into society through socioeconomic support
programs; and building local research capacity through ICART research center in Bukavu.
Background
Working experience:
Deputy editor, Journal of Peace Research, 2014-2017
Research Director, Conditions of Violence and Peace Department: 2016
Associate editor, Journal of Peace Research, 2012-2013
Visiting Research Fellow, University of Notre Dame, 2010-2011
Senior Researcher, PRIO 2010-
Research Fellow, Harvard University, 2008-2010
Book Note Editor, Journal of Peace Research, 2006-2008
Research Assistant, CSCW Environmental Factors in Civil War 2004-2005
Education:
Dr. Polit. (PhD) in political science, Norwegian University of Science and Techology, NTNU. 2010
Cand.Polit. (Master's degree) in political science, NTNU. Spring 2004.
Other information:
Languages spoken:
Norwegian (mother tongue), English (fluent), French (some)
Blog Posts
Женщины – “неотъемлемая часть своей страны и её сопротивления”. С таким посланием Катерина Черепаха, президент организации “Ла Страда – Україна”, обратилась к миру в своём апрельском выступлении в Совете Безопасности ООН.. В своей речи она также подчеркнула возросшую незащищённость женщин и девочек в отношении угрозы похищения, пыток и убийства. Теперь ... Read more »
Жінки є «невід’ємною частиною країни та її опору» – з таким посланням звернулася до світу президент організації «Ла Страда-Україна» Kaтeринa Чeрeпaхa, виступаючи перед Радою Безпеки ООН у квітні. У своєму виступі вона також підкреслила високу вразливість жінок і дівчат щодо загроз викрадення, катувань та вбивств. Тепер ми знаємо, що жінки ... Read more »
Women are an “integral part of her country and its resistance.” This was the message that Kateryna Cherepakha, President of the organization La Strada-Ukraine, communicated to the world when speaking before the UN Security Council in April. Her speech also highlighted increased vulnerability of women and girls to the threat ... Read more »
Posted by Ragnhild Nordås on Monday, 11 April 2022
Sexual violence has not received much attention in the coverage of the war in Ukraine. However, reports of cases of sexual violence by Russian or pro-Russian soldiers are just starting to appear. Some human rights organizations in Ukraine have already warned about this risk. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba recently claimed ... Read more »
On Friday October 30, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on the protection of education in conflict zones. This is one of the most important matters on which Norway has facilitated negotiations in the Security Council and the resolution is a major step in the right direction for protecting ... Read more »
A staggering 72 million children—17% of the 426 million children living in conflict areas globally, or 1 in 6—are living near armed groups that have been reported to perpetrate sexual violence against children. That means 3% of all children in the world are living at risk for sexual violence in ... Read more »
Posted by Ragnhild Nordås & Nelly Lahoud on Monday, 10 December 2018
The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad in recognition of their work combatting sexual violence as a weapon of war. This acknowledgement should serve as a rallying cry to end sexual violence in conflict — commonly perpetrated by non-state groups, but also states ... Read more »
Posted by Ragnhild Nordås & Elisabeth Jean Wood on Monday, 15 October 2018
As Islamic State forces swept through northern Iraq in 2014, they captured the city of Mosul and then attacked the nearby Yazidi people. Thousands of Yazidis were executed — and some 3,000 girls and women were kidnapped. Most were sexually enslaved. One of the two recipients of this year’s Nobel ... Read more »
Posted by Ragnhild Nordås on Friday, 8 April 2016
Is it just religious fanatics who blow themselves up as suicide bombers? Bernt Hagtvet, Professor of Political Science at the University of Oslo, has been active in the Norwegian media lately, stating that only religion (he focuses mostly on Islam) brings the fervor to commit suicide attacks as part of ... Read more »
Posted by Jessica Stanton, Ragnhild Nordås & Dara Kay Cohen on Thursday, 7 January 2016
Refugees are fleeing Syria in such astonishing numbers because armed groups continue to target civilians with violence. That’s what we heard in September when the U.N. Human Rights Council discussed the most recent report of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria. The commission’s chair, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, made a plea ... Read more »
Last year the Congolese gynecologist Dr. Denis Mukwege was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, and he has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several years in a row, frequently hailed among the favorites. Tomorrow the winner of the prize for 2015 will be announced. We think ... Read more »
Posted by Ragnhild Nordås on Tuesday, 10 June 2014
Later this week, ministers from more than 140 countries, along with an estimated 1,500 invited delegates, are gathering in London for the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. The summit — the largest gathering of its type — is co-chaired by British Foreign Secretary William Hague and the ... Read more »