Gudrun Østby

Senior Researcher, Editor - Journal of Peace Research

Email: gudrun@prio.org
Work phone: +47 22 54 77 88
Mobile phone: +47 98 67 15 43

Research Interests

Armed conflict and maternal health
Sexual and gender-based violence
Education and conflict
Horizontal inequalities and conflict
Urban violence

Background

Languages spoken:

Norwegian, English, Spanish, basic French.

Working experience:

2017– : Editor, Journal of Peace Research.

2010– : Senior Researcher, Conditions of Violence and Peace, PRIO.

2015–2017: Associate Editor, Journal of Peace Research.

2010–2014: Deputy Editor, Journal of Peace Research.

2006: Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security (CRISE), University of Oxford.

2005: Book Review Editor Journal of Peace Research.

2005–2010: Phd Candidate/Research Fellow, Department of Political Science, University of Oslo

(Maternal leave April-December, 2006; September 2008-May 2009; and March-December 2012).

2005–2010: Researcher (part-time), Centre for the Study of Civil War, PRIO.

2004: Research Assistant, Centre for the Study of Civil War, PRIO.

2003–2004: Norwegian Red Cross Youth Delegate to Kenya Red Cross Society.

Education:

PhD, Political Science, University of Oslo, 2011.

Cand. Polit (equiv. MA), Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 2003.

Cand.Mag (equiv. to B.A), NTNU and Universidad de Granada (Spain), 2001 in the areas of Political Science, English, Media Science and Psychology.

Research Groups

Full member:

Associated member:

PRIO Departments

Current

Historical

PRIO Projects

Ongoing:

Children in Conflict: Basic Mapping (project leader)
Armed Conflict and Maternal Health in Sub-Saharan Africa (project leader)
Development Aid, Effectiveness, and Inequalities in Conflict-Affected Societies (DEAFIN)
Inequality and Armed Conflict

Finished:

Events

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 12:00-15:30 – Fake News and Fact Resistance
22 - 23 Sep 2016 – Armed Conflict, Maternal- and Child Health, and the Impact of Development Aid in sub-Saharan Africa
Fri, 21 Nov 2014 10:00-13:00 – Armed Conflict and Maternal Health
08 - 10 Jan 2014 – PhD Course: Gender, Peace and Security
Fri, 07 December 2012 – Research Network on Gender, Peace and Security
Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:30-16:00 – Gender and Conflict Research
04 - 05 Nov 2010 – Political Institutions and Conflict Resolution
Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:00-16:00 – GROW-Net Workshop
29 - 30 Apr 2010 – The Principals and Agents of Violence

PRIO started tracking events online in 2007. This listing is not complete. Past events may be mentioned in our news archive.

Recent Publications

Rustad, Siri Aas & Gudrun Østby (2017) Education and Systematic Group Inequalities in Nigeria, Conflict Trends, 3. Oslo: PRIO.

Bahgat, Karim; Kendra Dupuy; Scott Gates; Håvard Mokleiv Nygård; Siri Aas Rustad; Håvard Strand; Henrik Urdal; Gudrun Østby; Gray Barrett; & Solveig Hillesund (2017) Inequality and Armed Conflict: Evidence and Data.

Gizelis, Theodora-Ismene; Sabrina Karim; Gudrun Østby & Henrik Urdal (2017) Maternal Health Care in the Time of Ebola: A Mixed-Method Exploration of the Impact of the Epidemic on Delivery Services in Monrovia, World Development. DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.04.027.

Bahgat, Karim; Gray Barrett; Kendra Dupuy; Scott Gates; Solveig Hillesund; Håvard Mokleiv Nygård; Siri Aas Rustad; Håvard Strand; Henrik Urdal & Gudrun Østby (2017) Inequality and Armed Conflict: Evidence and Policy Recommendations, Conflict Trends, 1. Oslo: PRIO.

All Publications

Peer-reviewed Journal Article

Kotsadam, Andreas; Gudrun Østby & Siri Aas Rustad (2017) Structural change and wife abuse: A disaggregated study of mineral mining and domestic violence in sub-Saharan Africa, 1999–2013, Political Geography 56(1): 53–65.

Østby, Gudrun (2016) Rural-Urban Migration, Inequality and Urban Social Disorder: Evidence from African and Asian Cities, Conflict Management and Peace Science 33(5): 491–515.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Gudrun Østby & Ragnhild Nordås (2016) Does Artisanal Mining Increase the Risk of Sexual Violence? Micro-level evidence from Eastern Congo, Quality in Primary Care 24(2): 77–80.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Gudrun Østby & Ragnhild Nordås (2016) Artisanal mining, conflict, and sexual violence in Eastern DRC, The Extractive Industries and Society 3(2): 475–484.

Østby, Gudrun; Henrik Urdal & Ida Rudolfsen (2016) What Is Driving Gender Equality in Secondary Education? Evidence from 57 Developing Countries, 1970–2010, Education Research International. DOI: 10.1155/2016/4587194.

Fjelde, Hanne & Gudrun Østby (2014) Socioeconomic Inequality and Communal Conflict: A Disaggregated Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa, 1990–2008, International Interactions 40(5): 737–762.

Østby, Gudrun; Håvard Strand; Nils Petter Gleditsch & Ragnhild Nordås (2013) Gender Gap or Gender Bias in Peace Research? Publication Patterns for Journal of Peace Research 1983–2008, International Studies Perspectives 14(4): 493–506.

Østby, Gudrun (2013) Inequality and political violence: A review of the literature, International Area Studies Review 16(2): 206–231.

Buhaug, Halvard; Kristian Skrede Gleditsch; Helge Holtermann; Gudrun Østby & Andreas Forø Tollefsen (2011) It’s the Local Economy, Stupid! Geographic Wealth Dispersion and Conflict Outbreak Location, Journal of Conflict Resolution 55(5): 814–840.

Østby, Gudrun; Henrik Urdal; Mohammad Zulfan Tadjoeddin; S. Mansoob Murshed & Håvard Strand (2011) Population Pressure, Horizontal Inequality and Political Violence: A Disaggregated Study of Indonesian Provinces, 1990–2003, Journal of Development Studies 47(3): 377–398.

Achvarina, Vera;Nordås, Ragnhild;Østby, Gudrun; & Rustad, Siri Aas (2009) Armut und die Rekrutierung von Kindersoldaten: Neue Evidenz aus einer disaggregierten Analyse der afrikanischen Regionen [Poverty and Child Soldier Recruitment: A Disaggregated Study of African Regions] , Politische Vierteljahresschrift Sonderhefte 43386–413.

Østby, Gudrun; Clionadh Raleigh & Håvard Hegre (2009) Poverty and Civil War Events: A Disaggregated Study of Liberia, Journal of Conflict Resolution 53(4): 298–623.

Østby, Gudrun; Ragnhild Nordås & Jan Ketil Rød (2009) Regional Inequalities and Civil Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa, International Studies Quarterly 53(2): 301–324.

Østby, Gudrun (2008) Polarization, Horizontal Inequalities and Violent Civil Conflict, Journal of Peace Research 45(2): 143–162.

PhD Thesis

Østby, Gudrun (2011) Horizontal Inequalities and Political Violence. PhD thesis, Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, .

Book Chapter

Østby, Gudrun & Henrik Urdal (2014) Demographic Factors and Civil War, in Newman, Edward; & Karl R. DeRouen, eds, The Routledge Handbook of Civil Wars. Abingdon & New York: Routledge (131–144).

Buhaug, Halvard; Henrik Urdal & Gudrun Østby (2013) Sustainable Cities: Urbanization and Human Security, in Sygna, Linda; Karen O'Brien; & Johanna Wolf, eds, A Changing Environment For Human Security - Transformative Approaches to Research, Policy and Action. London: Routledge (56–66).

Fjelde, Hanne; & Østby, Gudrun(2010) Economic Inequality and Non-state Conflicts in Africa : .

Fjelde, Hanne & Gudrun Østby (2010) Economic Inequality and Non-state Conflicts in Africa, in Washington, DC: .

Østby, Gudrun (2008) Inequalities, the Political Environment and Civil Conflict: Evidence from 55 Developing Countries, in Frances Stewart, ed., Horizontal Inequalities and Conflict: Understanding Group Violence in Multiethnic Societies. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (136–159).

Knutsen, Torbjørn L.; Birgitte Sivertsen; Mattis Daa; Gudrun Østby & Christian Fjellstad (2003) Jihad – en idéhistorie [Jihad – a History of Ideas], in Blodspor : om bakgrunnen til 11. september. Olso: .

Non-refereed Journal Article

Urdal, Henrik; Gudrun Østby & Nils Petter Gleditsch (2014) Journal of Peace Research, Peace Review 26(4): 500–504.

Master Thesis

Østby, Gudrun (2003) Horizontal Inequality and Civil War [Do Ethnic Group Inequalities Influence the Risk of Domestic Armed Conflict?]. MA thesis, Supervisors: Tanja Ellingsen, NTNU; Nils Petter Gleditsch, PRIO (completed 15 August, defended 5 September), NTNU, Trondheim.

Conference Paper

Leiby, Michele ; Gudrun Østby & Ragnhild Nordås (2015) The legacy of war: Intimate-partner violence in Peru, 1980-2009, presented at APSA, San Fransisco, 3–6 September.

Østby, Gudrun; Henrik Urdal; Andreas Forø Tollefsen; Andreas Kotsadam; Ragnhild Belbo & Christin Marsh Ormhaug (2015) Armed conflict and maternal health care Micro-level evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa., presented at the Annual Convention of the American Political Science Association, San Francisco, CA, 3–6 September.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Gudrun Østby & Ragnhild Nordås (2014) Artisanal Mining, Conflict and Sexual Violence: Micro-Level Evidence from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, presented at The 49th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, Toronto, 26–29 March .

Østby, Gudrun (2014) Violence Begets Violence: Armed Conflict and Domestic Sexual Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa, presented at SVAC (Sexual Violence and Armed Conflict) Workshop, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 2–3 September.

Østby, Gudrun 2010 Regional Inequalities and Civil Conflict in Africa: The Influence of Political Institutions and Leadership, presented at Territorial Origins of African Civil Conflicts, , 29–30 January 2010.

Buhaug, Halvard; Kristian Skrede Gleditsch; Helge Holtermann & Gudrun Østby (2009) Poverty, Inequality, and Conflict: Using Within-Country Variation to Evaluate Competing Hypotheses, presented at 50th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, New York, NY, 15–18 February.

Buhaug, Halvard;Gleditsch, Kristian Skrede;Holtermann, Helge; & Østby, Gudrun 2008Poverty, Inequality, and Conflict: Using Within-Country Variation to Evaluate Competing Hypotheses, presented at Peace Science Society (International)24 October.

Østby, Gudrun; & de Soysa, Indra 2008 Too Weak to Fight? Horizontal Inequality and State Repression, 1980–2004, presented at 49th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, , 26–29 March.

Achvarina, Vera;Nordås, Ragnhild;Østby, Gudrun; & Rustad, Siri Aas 2008 Regional Welfare and Child Soldier Recruitment : A Disaggregated Study of African Regions, presented at Authors' Conference, PVS-Special Issue 2009, , 22–23 February.

Østby, Gudrun;Urdal, Henrik; & Murshed, Mansoob 2007 Population Pressure, Inequality and Political Violence: A Disaggregated Study of Indonesian Provinces, 1990-2003, presented at Polarization and Conflict Meeting, , 10–12 December.

Østby, Gudrun;Hegre, Håvard; & Raleigh, Clionadh 2007 Economic Deprivation and Civil War Events: A Disaggregated Study of Liberia, presented at Polarization and Conflict Meeting, , 7–9 June.

Østby, Gudrun & Henrik Urdal (2007) Population Pressure, Inequality and Political Violence: A Disaggregated Study of Indonesian Provinces, 1990–2003, presented at the 48th Annual Metting of the International Studies Association, Chicago, IL, 28 February – 3 March.

Raleigh, Clionadh; Gudrun Østby & Håvard Hegre (2007) Economic Deprivation and Civil War Events: A Disaggregated Study of Liberia, presented at the 48th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, Chicago, IL, 28 February–3 March.

Achvarina, Vera; Ragnhild Nordås; Siri Aas Rustad & Gudrun Østby (2007) Regional Poverty and Child Soldier Recruitment: A Disaggregated Study of Sub-National African Regions, 1990–2004, presented at the 48th Annual Metting of the International Studies Association, Chicago, IL, 28 February–3 March.

Nordås, Ragnhild; Jan Ketil Rød & Gudrun Østby (2006) Regional Inequalities and Civil Conflict in 21 Sub-Saharan Countries, 1986-2004, presented at the 47th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association (ISA), San Diego, 22–25 March.

Nordås, Ragnhild; Jan Ketil Rød & Gudrun Østby (2006) Regional Inequalities and Civil Conflict in 21 Sub-Saharan Countries, 1986-2004, presented at the workshop on Polarization and Conflict (PAC), Nicosia, Cyprus, 26–29 April.

Østby, Gudrun (2005) Horizontal Inequalities and Civil Conflict, presented at 13th Annual National Political Science Conference, Hurdalsjøen, Norway, 5–7 January.

Østby, Gudrun (2005) Horizontal Inequalities and Civil Conflict, presented at the 46th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, Honolulu, HI, USA, 1–5 March .

Østby, Gudrun (2005) Horizontal Inequalities and Civil Conflict, presented at the 46th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, Honolulu, HI, 1–5 March .

Østby, Gudrun (2005) Inequality, Institutions, and Instability: Horizontal Inequalities, Political Institutions, and Civil Conflict in Developing Countries 1986–2003, presented at the 1st PIDDCP (Political Institutions, Development and a Domestic Civil Peace), Oxford, 10–12 November.

Østby, Gudrun (2005) Disaggregated Inequalities and Conflict in Developing Countries, presented at the Polarization and Conflict (PAC) Summer Meeting, Konstanz, 2–5 June.

Østby, Gudrun (2004) Do Horizontal Inequalities Matter for Civil Conflict?, presented at Polarization and Conflict (PAC) Winter Meeting, Barcelona, 10–11 December.

PRIO Policy Brief

Rustad, Siri Aas & Gudrun Østby (2017) Education and Systematic Group Inequalities in Nigeria, Conflict Trends, 3. Oslo: PRIO.

Østby, Gudrun & Henrik Urdal (2011) Education and Conflict: What the Evidence Says, CSCW Policy Brief, 2. Oslo: PRIO.

PRIO Paper

Nordås, Ragnhild; Gudrun Østby; Siri Aas Rustad; Christine Amisi; Rosalie Biaba; John Quattrochi; Susanne Alldén & Aline Cikara (2016) Social Inclusion of Survivors of Sexual Violence: How Do Support Programs Work?, PRIO Paper. Oslo: PRIO.

Nordås, Ragnhild; Gudrun Østby; Rosalie Biaba; Christine Amisi; John Quattrochi; Susanne Alldén; Esther Namegabe & Aline Cikara (2016) From Pain to Empowerment?, PRIO Paper. Oslo: PRIO.

Nordås, Ragnhild; Gudrun Østby; Siri Aas Rustad; Christine Amisi; Rosalie Biaba; John Quattrochi; Susanne Alldén & Aline Cikara (2016) L’intégration sociale des Survivantes des violences sexuelles : Comment les programmes de soutien fonctionnent ? [Social Inclusion of Survivors of Sexual Violence: How Do Support Programs Work?], PRIO Paper. Oslo: PRIO.

Nordås, Ragnhild; Gudrun Østby; Rosalie Biaba; Christine Amisi; John Quattrochi; Susanne Alldén; Esther Namegabe & Aline Cikara (2016) De la douleur en pouvoir ? [From Pain to Empowerment?], PRIO Paper. Oslo: PRIO.

Report - Other

Report - External Series

Østby, Gudrun; & Henrik Urdal (2014) Conflict and Educational Inequality: Evidence from 30 Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Commissioned report for USAID. USAID.

Østby, Gudrun; & Henrik Urdal (2010) Education and Civil Conflict: A Review of the Quantitative, Empirical Literature, Background paper for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011, The hidden crisis: armed conflict and education. Oslo: UNESCO.

Book Review

Langer, Arnim; Frances Stewart & Rajesh Venugopal (2013) Review of Review of Gudrun Østby, ed., Horizontal Inequalities and Post-Conflict Development, in Journal of Peace Research 50(3): 429–430.

Blog Posts

Education and Systematic Group Inequalities in Nigeria

Posted by Siri Camilla Aas Rustad & Gudrun Østby on Thursday, 14 September 2017

On the night between 14 and 15 April, 2014, 276 girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram from their school in Chibok in Borno State in Northeastern Nigeria. The Islamist terrorist group does not believe that girls should attend school, and these girls were targeted precisely because they were in school. However, conservative views on gender and education is only ... Read more »

Education and Conflict: What the Evidence Says

Posted by Gudrun Østby & Henrik Urdal on Wednesday, 13 September 2017

These are the key conclusions from the first systematical review of the empirical, quantitative literature on the relationship between education and civil conflict. Evidence from 30 statistical studies indicate that Increasing education levels overall have pacifying effects Rapid expansions of higher education is not a threat Education inequalities between groups ... Read more »

Research Training in Eastern Congo

Posted by Gudrun Østby on Thursday, 3 December 2015

I have just returned from two weeks in Congo. PRIO colleagues Ragnhild Nordås, Siri Aas Rustad and I held project meetings with our local partner. Most of our time in Congo, however, was spent teaching how to conduct research. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is often described as one ... Read more »

The Time Has Come for Dr. Denis Mukwege to Win the Nobel Peace Prize

Posted by Gudrun Østby & Ragnhild Nordås on Thursday, 8 October 2015

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 »

Education Creates Peace

Posted by Gudrun Østby, Henrik Urdal & Ida Rudolfsen on Wednesday, 10 December 2014

On 10 December Nobel’s Peace Prize 2014 is awarded to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai. Critical voices have claimed that their work is more about rights activism than promoting peace and that there is no obvious association between education and peace. Research into the causes of war suggests, however, that ... Read more »