This text has been translated from Norwegian with the assistance of GPT UiO.
– Which research project are you mostly working on now?
– Currently, I am working on several projects, all interconnected with the EU and international cooperation in various ways. The most prominent is Reclaiming Liberal Democracy in the Postfactual Age (RECLAIM), funded by the EU's Horizon programme, where ARENA leads one of the work packages. I also lead a project funded by the Ministry of Defence on transatlantic relations called Changing Transatlantic Security Relations: Implications for Europe and Norway (TransatDefence). Additionally, I am involved in a project funded by the Research Council of Norway, on collaboration and conflict in space, named Earth to Orbit - Building Bridges in Space (DISCOVER).
– What do you wish to find out?
– RECLAIM examines how the EU can combat disinformation without sacrificing democratic values. TransatDefence investigates how and why transatlantic relations are changing, as well as the implications of these changes for Europe, the EU, and Norway. DISCOVER questions what enables international cooperation in space and the characteristics of transatlantic collaboration in this domain.
– Why is this important?
– Each of these projects addresses aspects of European integration and international cooperation, not least the numerous challenges our regional and international institutions face today. Although international cooperation seems critical for managing shared crises and challenges, we observe increased geopolitical competition and conflict, the weakening of international organisations, heightened polarisation, and a shift in American foreign policy under Trump. All these contribute to making international and European collaboration more challenging than ever. I study issues related to what these altered conditions mean for Europe, how European and international cooperation may still be feasible, and how and why the EU evolves within this context.
– In RECLAIM, the focus is on ensuring a knowledgeable, informed, and democratic debate amidst polarisation and misinformation, particularly concerning the EU's response to these challenges. TransatDefence explores how transatlantic relations change within a more uncertain geopolitical context and increased polarisation, notably in the US, and what these alterations mean for Norway. We also analyse the development of European security structures in light of weakening transatlantic cooperation and war on the European continent. Studies of European integration are crucial as they teach us about the EU, a much closer and more integrated community than often perceived in Norway, and thus influencing all facets of Norwegian politics and society. Theoretically and analytically, the EU serves as a fantastic laboratory for studying phenomena such as international cooperation despite conflicting state interests, organisational development, the impact of crises on political systems, establishing legitimate governance outside and between nation-states, and much more.
– DISCOVER also examines international cooperation and conflict, focusing empirically on international space diplomacy. We are entirely dependent on space for trade, emergency preparedness, communication, environmental monitoring, military operations, and more. However, space is indivisible, a global commons accessible to all but the place most resembling anarchy in the absence of binding rules and institutions. Nonetheless, states cooperate to develop international guidelines in certain areas. Those involved in DISCOVER are interested in what makes such cooperation possible. The EU plays a significant role in space diplomacy, so much of my focus is naturally on the EU’s global role, its space policy development, and the transatlantic relationship in space.
– Who are you collaborating with?
– In Norway, I collaborate frequently with excellent colleagues at UiO from ARENA and the Department of Political Science, from NUPI, and the universities in Agder and Bergen, along with many other research institutions studying the EU or European security. I would like to see researchers at Norwegian institutions working on EU topics to collaborate more closely, and ARENA seeks to facilitate this. Having worked on European integration for many years now, I also have an international network of fellow researchers studying the EU, transatlantic relations, and international cooperation, especially within foreign and security policy, both in Europe and the US. My American network is through the Institute of European Studies at UC Berkeley, where I am affiliated as a senior fellow, as well as other projects I've participated in.
– What do you look for when choosing collaborators?
– I primarily search for researchers whose research profile aligns with the project and who show a professional interest in the topics we wish to explore. Ideally, there should be enough diversity in a team to view questions from various perspectives and perhaps think outside the box, preferably interdisciplinarily. It's crucial to have a balance between more experienced and younger researchers; established experts offer relevant experience and publications, while younger ones can bring fresh ideas and approaches into the project. Young researchers need opportunities to join projects to develop their research and career. Often, I reach out to people I already know, have good experience working with, know are relevant, and reliably deliver what's required.
– What other research projects are you involved in?
– I am engaged in many projects currently, but some have just started while others are nearing completion. Among them, we study what the EU's security and defence policies mean for Norway, the EU's enlargement to Eastern European countries (RE-Engage, which is Horizon-funded), and I have spent several years examining the significance of crises for European integration, also connected to UC Berkeley. I am also working on a Carnegie-funded project led by Mai’a Cross at Northeastern University, which explores how transnational networks facilitate international cooperation. And I will eventually participate in the RECLAIM project as some other projects conclude, which is also Horizon-funded and addresses challenges related to representative democracy in Europe.
– What do you find most interesting about being a researcher?
– I am fond of 'why' questions, often referred to as 'puzzles' or questions related to unexpected phenomena. It's one of the reasons why I find European integration so fascinating, where countries engage in supranational cooperation even in areas least expected due to their closely tied national sovereignty, such as defence and security policy. Moreover, I appreciate having the opportunity to delve deeply into questions that captivate me, which is the luxury of being a researcher. Not to mention, engaging in intellectual discussions with other researchers.
– What is the most common question you receive about your job when you are with others?
– People often ask why my research is important to them or why we should fund research on topics that may not seem directly empirically relevant. Especially addressing the latter, explaining why fundamental research is essential within social sciences, is a question I frequently encounter.