Siri Aas Rustad

Senior Researcher

Email: sirir@prio.org
Work phone: 22 54 77 47
Mobile phone: 47 917 00 274
Twitter: @SiriRustadPRIO

Research Interests

Natural Resources and Civil War

Wealth Sharing in Post-conflict situations

Background

Languages spoken:

English, Norwegian

Selected work experience:

Senior Researcher, Conditions for Violence and Peace, PRIO 2012-present

Researcher/PhD candidate at PRIO (2008-2012)

Research Assistant at PRIO for Nils Petter Gleditsch and Scott Gates (November 2005- December 2007)

Coordinator for PRIO’s Peace Research Course at the International Summer School at Blindern (Summer 2006)

Project Coordinator for North Caucasus, Building Peaces

Teaching statistical method and software (MA-level) – Noragric, Norwegian University of Life Science (2012-2018)

Education:

2008-2012: PhD (Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

2002-2005: Cand.polit. (Political Science from NTNU, Reading University, and PRIO)

1998-2001: Cand.mag. (Political Science, History and Macro Economics, from NTNU and Charles University, Praha)

Selected fellowships and awards:

‘Development Aid, Effectiveness, and Inequalities in Conflict-Affected Societies’, Research Council of Norway, FRIPRO, Project deputy (NOK 9 million) (2017-2019)

‘From a Curse to a Blessing? Transparency and Accountability in Managing High-Value Natural Resource Revenues’, Research Council of Norway, collaborator FRIPRO (NOK 7 million) (2014-2017)

‘The social, economic and political impacts of the extractive industries in Brazil: The case of Hydro and the Barcarena region in Pará’, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Project leader (NOK 2.4 million) (2014-2016)

‘Female Empowerment in Eastern DRC’, Research Council of Norway, NORGLOBAL Division, collaborator (NOK 5 million) (2014-2016)

‘Conflict Trends’, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Project deputy (NOK 11.4 million) (2013-2016)

Research Groups

Full member:

Associated member:

Conflict Patterns

PRIO Departments

Current

Conditions of Violence and Peace

Historical

PRIO Projects

Ongoing:

Ceasefires (project leader)
Conflict Trends (project leader)
Development Aid, Effectiveness, and Inequalities in Conflict-Affected Societies (DEAFIN)
FINEX - Financial exclusion, Islamic finance and housing in the Nordic countries

Finished:

Events

Mon, 10 September 2018 – Conflict Trends Course Opens for Policymakers and Practitioners
Fri, 07 Sep 2018 18:00-20:00 – Game of Thrones and Reality
Mon, 18 Jun 2018 10:00-11:45 – Natural Resources in the Global South - A Blessing or a Curse?
Thu, 11 Jan 2018 15:00-17:00 – Towards a More Peaceful World?
Wed, 29 Nov 2017 09:00-12:30 – Approaches to Protect and Maintain Healthcare Services in Armed Conflict – Meeting SDG 3 and 16
Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:00-17:00 – CANCELLED: Book launch: Writing Your Master's Thesis - From A to Zen
Mon, 20 Jun 2016 11:30-13:30 – Is Peace Research About Peace?
Wed, 14 Oct 2015 12:00-14:00 – Combatting Radicalization through Non-Violent Means – The Case of Nigeria
Wed, 28 May 2014 12:30-14:00 – Crisis in Nigeria: Monitoring Violence and Accounting for the Dead
Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00-16:00 – A Greater Good? The Role of Business in Fostering Peace
Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00-13:00 – Qualitative and quantitative hand in hand
Mon, 18 August 2008 – Niger Delta Conflict Seminar
Thu, 30 November 2006 – Failed States and Regional Insecurity
Wed, 14 Jun 2006 10:00-12:00 – Foreign Direct Investment and the Propensity for Repression

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

Recent Publications

Ryland, Reidun; Tora Sagård; Peder Landsverk; Håvard Mokleiv Nygård; Håvard Strand; Siri Aas Rustad; Govinda Clayton; Claudia Wiehler; Valerie Sticher & David Lander (2018) The Effects of Ceasefires in Philippine Peace Processes, PRIO Paper. Oslo: PRIO.

Amisi, Christine; Rosalie Biaba Apassa; Aline Cikara; Gudrun Østby; Ragnhild Nordås; Siri Aas Rustad & John Quattrochi (2018) The impact of support programmes for survivors of sexual violence: micro-level evidence from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Medicine, Conflict and Survival 34(3): 201–223.

Ryland, Reidun; Tora Sagård; Peder Landsverk; Håvard Mokleiv Nygård; Håvard Strand; Siri Aas Rustad; Govinda Clayton; Claudia Wiehler & Valerie Sticher (2018) The Effects of Ceasefires in Colombian Peace Processes, Conflict Trends, 7. Oslo: PRIO.

Hillesund, Solveig; Karim Bahgat; Gray Barrett; Kendra Dupuy; Scott Gates; Håvard Mokleiv Nygård; Siri Aas Rustad; Håvard Strand; Henrik Urdal & Gudrun Østby (2018) Horizontal inequality and armed conflict: a comprehensive literature review, Canadian Journal of Development Studies. DOI: 10.1080/02255189.2018.1517641.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Kristian Hoelscher; Andreas Kotsadam; Gudrun Østby & Henrik Urdal (2018) Political Exclusion, Group Inequality and Aid Distribution, Conflict Trends, 9. Oslo: PRIO.

Bakken, Ingrid Vik & Siri Aas Rustad (2018) Conflict Trends in Africa, 1989–2017, Conflict Trends, 6. Oslo: PRIO.

Dupuy, Kendra & Siri Aas Rustad (2018) Trends in Armed Conflict, 1946–2017, Conflict Trends, 5. Oslo: PRIO.

All Publications

Peer-reviewed Journal Article

Kotsadam, Andreas; Siri Aas Rustad; Gudrun Østby; Andreas Forø Tollefsen & Henrik Urdal (2018) Development aid and infant mortality. Micro-level evidence from Nigeria, World Development 105: 59–69.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Philippe Le Billon & Päivi Lujala (2017) Has the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative been a success? Identifying and evaluating EITI goals, Resources Policy 51: 151–162.

Nordkvelle, Jonas; Siri Aas Rustad & Monika Salmivalli (2017) Identifying the effect of climate variability on communal conflict through randomization, Climatic Change. DOI: 10.1007/s10584-017-1914-3.

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.

Rustad, Siri Aas (2016) Socioeconomic Inequalities and Attitudes toward Violence: A Test with New Survey Data in the Niger Delta, International Interactions 42(1): 106–139.

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.

Lujala, Päivi & Siri Aas Rustad (2016) Engines for Peace? Extractive Industries, Host Countries, and the International Community in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding, Natural Resources 7(2016): 239–250.

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.

Nordås, Ragnhild & Siri Aas Rustad (2013) Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by Peacekeepers: Understanding Variation, International Interactions 39(4): 511–534.

Rustad, Siri Aas & Helga Malmin Binningsbø (2012) A Price Worth Fighting For? Natural Resources and Conflict Recurrence, Journal of Peace Research 49(4): 531–546.

Binningsbø, Helga Malmin & Siri Aas Rustad (2012) Sharing the Wealth: A Pathway to Peace or a Trail to Nowhere?, Conflict Management and Peace Science 29(5): 547–566.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Halvard Buhaug; Åshild Falch & Scott Gates (2011) All Conflict Is Local: Modeling Sub-National Variation in Civil Conflict Risk, Conflict Management and Peace Science 28(1): 15–40.

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.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Jan Ketil Rød; Wenche Larsen & Nils Petter Gleditsch (2008) Foliage and Fighting: Forest Resources and the Onset, Duration, and Location of Civil War, Political Geography 27(7): 761–782.

Book Chapter

Rustad, Siri Aas; Gudrun Østby & Henrik Urdal (2017) Conflicts and the Demographic Transition: Economic Opportunity or Disaster?, in Groth, Hans; & John F. May, eds, Africa's Population: In Search of a Demographic Dividend. Cham, Switzerland: Springer (483–496).

Nordås, Ragnhild & Siri Aas Rustad (2015) Assessing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by Peacekeepers, in Olsson, Louise; & Theodora-Ismene Gizelis , eds, Gender, Peace and Security: Implementing UNSCR 1325. London: Taylor & Francis (138–162).

Lujala, Päivi & Siri Aas Rustad (2012) High-value Natural Resources: A Blessing or a Curse for Peace?, in Siri Aas Rustad, ed., High-Value Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. Abingdon: Earthscan (3–18).

Ross, Michael W.; Päivi Lujala & Siri Aas Rustad (2012) Horizontal Inequality, Decentralizing the Distribution of Natural Resources Revenues, and Peace, in High-Value Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. Abingdon: Earthscan (251–259).

Rustad, Siri Aas; Päivi Lujala & Philippe Le Billon (2012) Building or Spoiling Peace? Lessons from the Management of the High-Value Natural Resources, in High-Value Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. Abingdon: Earthscan (571–621).

Rustad, Siri Aas; & Le Billon, Philippe(2012) Building or spoiling peace? Lessons from the management of the high-value natural resources, in Lujala, Päivi;Lujala, Päivi; & Rustad, Siri Aas, eds, High-Value Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. : Earthscan Publications Ltd(571–621).

Rustad, Siri Aas;Lujala, Päivi; & Le Billon, Philippe(2012) Building or spoiling peace? Lessons from the management of high-value natural resources High-Value Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. : Earthscab(573–623).

Obi, Cyril & Siri Aas Rustad (2011) Introduction: Petro-Violence in the Niger Delta: The Complex Politics of an Insurgency, in Obi, Cyril; & Siri Aas Rustad, eds, Oil and Insurgency in the Niger Delta: Managing the Complex Politics of Petro-violence. London: Zed Books (1–14).

Obi, Cyril & Siri Aas Rustad (2011) Conclusion: Amnesty and Post-amnesty Peace, is the Window of Opportunity Closing for the Niger Delta, in Rustad, Siri Aas; & Cyril Obi, eds, Oil and Insurgency in the Niger Delta: Managing the Complex Politics of Petro-violence. London: (200–210).

Lujala, Päivi; Siri Aas Rustad & Philippe Le Billon (2010) Valuable Natural Resources in Conflict-Affected States, in Berdal, Mats; & Achim Wennmann, eds, Ending Wars, Consolidating Peace: Economic Perspectives. New York: IISS (121–136).

Rustad, Siri Aas & Helga Malmin Binningsbø (2007) Natural Resource Management and Postconflict Peace, in Statsvitenskaplig Fagkonferanse. Trondheim: .

Rustad, Siri Aas & Helga Malmin Binningsbø (2007) Natural Resource Management and Postconflict Peace, in the 48th Annual Metting of the International Studies Association. Chicago, IL: .

Edited Volume

Lujala, Päivi; & Siri Aas Rustad, eds, (2012) High-Value Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. Abingdon: Earthscan. Post-Conflict Peacebuilding and Natural Resource Management.

Obi, Cyril; & Siri Aas Rustad, eds, (2011) Oil and Insurgency in the Niger Delta: Managing the Complex Politics of Petro-violence. London: Zed Books.

Master Thesis

Rustad, Siri Aas (2005) Forest Resources and Conflict: How Forest Resources Influence Internal Armed Conflicts. MA thesis, Department of Sociology and Political Science, NTNU, Oslo & Trondheim.

Conference Paper

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 .

Rustad, Siri Aas; Halvard Buhaug; Åshild Falch & Scott Gates (2009) Subnational Variation in Civil Conflict Risk, presented at 50th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, New York, NY, 15–18 February.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Helga Malmin Binningsbø & Philippe Le Billon (2009) Do Resource-Related Peacebuilding Initiatives Build Peace?, presented at International Studies Association Convention, New York, NY, 15–18 February.

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.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Jan Ketil Rød; Wenche Larsen & Nils Petter Gleditsch (2007) Foilage and Fighting: Forest resources and the onset, duration and location of civil warPalma, Mallorca, December.

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.

Rød, Jan Ketil & Siri Aas Rustad (2006) Resources and Conflict – Conflict Zones and Disaggregated Forest Data, presented at Polarization and Conflict Workshop, Nicosia, Cyprus, 26–29 April.

PRIO Policy Brief

Rustad, Siri Aas; Kristian Hoelscher; Andreas Kotsadam; Gudrun Østby & Henrik Urdal (2018) Political Exclusion, Group Inequality and Aid Distribution, Conflict Trends, 9. Oslo: PRIO.

Bakken, Ingrid Vik & Siri Aas Rustad (2018) Conflict Trends in Africa, 1989–2017, Conflict Trends, 6. Oslo: PRIO.

Dupuy, Kendra & Siri Aas Rustad (2018) Trends in Armed Conflict, 1946–2017, Conflict Trends, 5. Oslo: PRIO.

Bahgat, Karim; Kendra Dupuy; Gudrun Østby; Siri Aas Rustad; Håvard Strand & Tore Wig (2018) Children Affected by Armed Conflict, 1990–2016, Conflict Trends, 1. Oslo: PRIO.

Kotsadam, Andreas; Gudrun Østby; Siri Aas Rustad; Andreas Forø Tollefsen & Henrik Urdal (2018) Does Aid Reduce Infant Mortality? Local-Level Evidence from Nigeria, Conflict Trends, 2. Oslo: PRIO.

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

Dupuy, Kendra; Scott Gates; Håvard Mokleiv Nygård; Ida Rudolfsen; Siri Aas Rustad; Håvard Strand & Henrik Urdal (2017) Trends in Armed Conflict, 1946–2016, Conflict Trends, 2. Oslo: PRIO.

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.

Rustad, Siri Aas & Kristian Hoelscher (2016) Supporting Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue in Barcarena, Brazil, PRIO Policy Brief, 26. Oslo: PRIO.

Rustad, Siri Aas & Kristian Hoelscher (2016) Apoio ao diálogo de diversas partes interessadas em Barcarena, Brasil [Supporting Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue in Barcarena, Brazil], PRIO Policy Brief, 26. Oslo: PRIO.

Must, Elise & Siri Aas Rustad (2016) Perceptions of Justice and Violent Mobilization: Explaining Petroleum Related Riots in Southern Tanzania, Conflict Trends, 6. Oslo: PRIO.

Ukiwo, Ukoha O. & Siri Aas Rustad (2015) Nigeria’s Presidential Election 2015, Conflict Trends, 2. Oslo: PRIO.

Rustad, Siri Aas (2008) Between War and peace: 50 years of Power-sharing in Nigeria, CSCW Policy Brief, 6. 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; 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.

Rustad, Siri Aas (2008) Power-sharing and Conflict in Nigeria - Power-sharing Agreements, Negotiations and Peace Processes, CSCW Paper. Oslo: PRIO.

Report - Other

Bahgat, Karim; Kendra Dupuy; Gudrun Østby; Siri Aas Rustad; Håvard Strand; & Tore Wig (2018) Children and Armed Conflict: What Existing Data Can Tell UsOslo: 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.

Rustad, Siri Aas; & Karim Bahgat (2016) Nigeria Country StudyOslo: PRIO.

Report - External Series

Kotsadam, Andreas; Gudrun Østby; Siri Aas Rustad; Andreas Forø Tollefsen; & Henrik Urdal (2017) Development Aid and Infant Mortality, AidData Working Paper, 39. Williamsburg, VA: AIDDATA - William & Mary.

Rustad, Siri Aas; Åshild Falch; Scott Gates; & Halvard Buhaug (2009) Risk Assessment and Mitigation Measures for Natural and Conflict-Related Hazards in Asia-Pacific, NGI Report 200716001. Oslo: Norwegian Geotechnical Institute.

Blog Posts

Fewer Lives Being Lost in Conflicts

Posted by Håvard Strand, Gudrun Østby, Håvard Mokleiv Nygård, Siri Camilla Aas Rustad & Henrik Urdal on Monday, 25 June 2018

In 2017, approximately 90,000 people died as the direct result of armed conflict. This figure is down for the third year in a row, and is now 31 percent lower than in 2014. Nearly a third of all conflicts – and four of the 10 most serious wars worldwide – ... Read more »

New Mapping of Children Affected by Armed Conflict

Posted by Gudrun Østby, Karim Bahgat, Kendra Dupuy, Siri Camilla Aas Rustad, Håvard Strand & Tore Wig on Thursday, 15 February 2018

This weekend, decision-makers from all over the world will come together to discuss current and future security challenges at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), which has become the major global forum for discussion of security policy. At the conference, Save the Children will launch its new report The War on ... Read more »

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 »

The Window of Opportunity Closes in Nigeria

Posted by Ukoha O. Ukiwo & Siri Camilla Aas Rustad on Monday, 16 February 2015

On 14 February, the population of Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy, were supposed to go to the polls to elect a new president. This election might have proven a watershed in Nigerian history. For the first time, the opposition had a realistic opportunity to take over from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ... Read more »