Ragnhild Nordås
Senior Researcher
Additional positions:
Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan
Email: ragnhild@prio.org
Mobile phone: +47 930 65 824
Twitter: @ragnhildnordas
Website: ragnhildnordaas.weebly.com/
Research Interests
Sexual violence
Demography and conflict
State repression
Religion and violence
The climate change-conflict nexus
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.
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)
Latest publications
All publications
Why Widespread Sexual Violence Is Likely In Ukraine
Popular Article in https://politicalviolenceataglance.org
Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and the Perils of Impunity
Journal Article in Journal of Conflict Resolution
Repertoires of conflict-related sexual violence: Introducing the RSVAC data package
Journal Article in Journal of Peace Research
Children at Risk of Wartime Sexual Violence, 1990–2019
Conflict Trends
Protection of Education in Conflict Zones – a Step in the Right Direction
Popular Article in PRIO Blog
Conflict-related sexual violence
Journal Article in Annual Review of Political Science
Report back better
Popular Article in Foreign Policy
72 Million Children Are at Risk for Sexual Violence in Conflict. What Can Be Done?
Popular Article in PRIO Blog
A latent variable approach to measuring wartime sexual violence
Journal Article in Journal of Peace Research
Community Perspectives and Pathways to Reintegration of Survivors of Sexual Violence in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Journal Article in Human Rights Quarterly
Latest news
All news
PhD Course on Gender, Peace and Conflict
Doctoral candidates from all over the world attended PRIO's PhD-level course on Gender, Peace and Conflict.
December Issue of Gender, Peace and Security Update is Out
The PRIO Gender, Peace and Security Update (GPS Update) is an electronic newsletter launched by the PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security in response to growing interest among the public for information about Gender, Peace and security Issues.
Repertoires of conflict-related sexual violence
A new article introduces the Repertoires of Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict (RSVAC) data package.
This data source assembles reports from 1989 to 2015 of forms of sexual violence by government/states forces, insurgent/rebel organizations, and pro-government militias for each conflict and year, as well as extensive qualitative notes. The new data package helps disaggregate ‘sexual violence’ into its distinct forms and will therefore enable analysis of the reported presence of forms of sexual violence across time, conflicts, and organizations.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00223433211044674?icid=int.sj-full-text.citing-articles.1
1 of 6 Children Living in Conflict Zones at Risk of Sexual Violence by Armed Groups
PRIO has conducted a study for Save the Children estimating the number of children at risk of experiencing wartime sexual violence. 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.
Successful Doctoral Defense by Elisabeth Lio Rosvold
We congratulate Elisabeth Lio Rosvold on the successful defense of her PhD thesis today, 08 November 2019! Dr Rosvold’s thesis entitled ‘Coping with Calamity: Natural Disasters, Armed Conflict and Development Aid’ was defended at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Sociology and Political Science.
Links Roundup: Research on Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict
PRIO has long been a leader in researching gender-based violence in conflicts; this issue has been the subject of extensive research interest at PRIO. For that reason, PRIO researchers were thrilled to see the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize go to Dr. Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad for their work combating sexual violence. We have compiled a list of PRIO-related publications and researchers relevant to this topic in anticipation of increased interest.
Two Top-Ten PRIO Journals!
The 2016 impact factor (IF) from InCites Journal Citation Reports is now out, and PRIO is extremely happy to once again have two journals within the top-10 on the 2-year ranking in International Relations.
This is the impact factor that traditionally gets most attention in research communities, but it is even more impressing that both journals in fact have been within the top-ten of the more stable 5-year impact ranking ever since 2013! It is an exceptional achievement by all standards.
This year, Security Dialogue clocked in as no. 6 out of 96 journals with a 2-year IF of 2.692 (up from no. 20 in 2015), and JPR retained its position within top-ten, ranked as no. 10 with an IF of 2.284.
On the 5-year impact factor, JPR is now ranked as no. 5 with Security Dialogue right behind as no. 6. JPR is also ranked as no. 24 in Political Science. Security Dialogue is not ranked in this category.
Both journals also currently have high rankings on other lists, including Scopus and Google Scholar Metrics.
Out now: New issue of PRIO Gender, Peace and Security Update (1-2017)
The first issue in 2017 the PRIO Gender, Peace and Security Update is now out.
The lead story in this issue includes an interview with Sarah Douglas, Gender Advisor at the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office, about how the UN Peacebuilding Fund has managed to surpass the target for financing gender-specific projects.
More Funding for PRIO Projects
Several new PRIO projects have received funding from the Research Council of Norway's FRIHUMSAM funding program.
Ragnhild Nordås New Research Director at PRIO
Latest events
All events
Digital Echoes: Understanding Patterns of Mass Violence with Data and Statistics
Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: Reflections on the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize
Women, Peace and Security Research Workshop
Religious Diversity in Europe - Past, Present and Future
Stopping Rape in Eastern Congo: Does Celebrity Activism Work?
Religion og konflikt
JPR fyller 50
Missing Peace Symposium 2013
The Problem of Religious Wars
What do we know about Civil War?
Current projects
All projects
Unlocking Sub-Saharan Africa's Demographic Dividend: Youth Bulges, Human Capital and Insecurity
From Curse to Demographic Dividends: Sub-Saharan Africa's Youth Bulges (DIVIDENDS)
Children in Conflict: Basic Mapping
Missing Peace Initiative
Latest blog posts
Украинские женщины участвуют в сопротивлении и должны участвовать в мирных переговорах: новые данные опросов
Українські жінки беруть участь в опорі і мають брати участь у мирних перемовинах: результати нового опитування
Ukrainian Women Engage in Resistance and Should Be in the Peace Talks: New Survey Evidence
Why Widespread Sexual Violence Is Likely in Ukraine
Protection of Education in Conflict Zones – a Step in the Right Direction
72 Million Children Are at Risk for Sexual Violence in Conflict. What Can Be Done?
Suicide Bombing ≠ Religious Fervor
