Øystein H. Rolandsen
Research Professor
Additional positions:
Co-director PRIO Centre for Culture and Violent Conflict
Research Interests
Follow me on Twitter: @oysteinhr
- Organised violence, African rebels and government counter-insurgency strategies
- African militaries and security force assistance (SFA)
- Humanitarian policy and practices
- History and current affairs of the two Sudans
- Critical approaches to peace negotiations and post-war interventions
Editorial Board member of the Centre for Peace and Development (CPDS) Journal, University of Juba, South Sudan.
Editor in chief for the blog Monitoring South Sudan @PRIOSouthSudan.
Personal profiles on other sites
Google Scholar Citations
Academia & Research Gate
LinkedIn
Language Skills
Proficient: Norwegian, English
Basic skills: German, Italian
Work Experience
2020 - Research Professor
2017 - Co-director PRIO Centre for Culture and Violent Conflict
2010-2020: Senior Researcher, PRIO
2005-2010: Researcher, Centre for the Study of Civil War, PRIO
2003-2005: Advisor, Norwegian People’s Aid
2002: Senior Executive Officer, Norwegian Centre for Human rights
Academic Visitorships
2014: African Studies Centre, Oxford University
2012-2013: Global Security Institute/Dep. of History, Durham University
2007: Programme of African Studies, Northwestern University
Education
2010: Ph.D. History, University of Oslo
2003: Cand. philol. History, University of Oslo
2000: MA African History, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
1999: Cand. mag. History and Political Science, University of Oslo
Latest publications
All publications
A Hidden Conundrum: Security Assistance and Informality in the Sahel
PRIO Policy Brief
An Appraisal of Philippines-China Security Relations under the Duterte Administration (2016–2020)
PRIO Paper
What Covid-19 Taught Us About Doing Business During a Crisis
Journal Article in Harvard Business Review
Security Force Assistance to Fragile States: A Framework of Analysis
Journal Article in Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding
Fragmented We Fall: Security Sector Cohesion and the Impact of Foreign Security Force Assistance in Mali
Journal Article in Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding
China in Myanmar: Complex Engagements, Complicated Relations
PRIO Policy Brief
Compounding Fragmentation: Security Force Assistance to Fragile States in the Sahel and Horn of Africa
PRIO Paper
Small States’ Security Force Assistance in the Sahel: Lessons Learned and Future Challenges
PRIO Policy Brief
Who are the civilians in the wars of South Sudan?
Journal Article in Security Dialogue
The impact of foreign security force assistance on security and governance in Mali
Conference Paper
Latest news
All news
Minister Dhieu Mathok Diing Wol Visits PRIO
Minister Dhieu Mathok Diing Wol from South Sudan visited PRIO today. He is in Oslo for the UN High Level Seminar on Gender and Inclusive Mediation Strategies, organized by PRIO this week.
Security Force Assistance to Fragile States
Security Force Assistance (SFA) – the training and equipping of a foreign security force – represent a common form of intervention into fragile states.
Doing Business During a Crisis - PRIO Research in Harvard Business Review
PRIO researchers have contributed to a survey of seven cities around the world during the Covid-19 pandemic. This survey offers clues to how businesses handle crises, and the results are summed up in an article in Harvard Business Review.
PRIO Researchers Review the Norwegian Strategy on the Sahel
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign has asked PRIO to carry out an external review of its Strategy for Norway's efforts in the Sahel region 2018–2020 in Africa. The review will be conducted by research professor Øystein H. Rolandsen (PRIO), Professor Tor Arve Benjaminsen (NMBU and PRIO) and Senior researcher Tone Sommerfelt (PRIO).
POPAGANDA – Funding in Place for Project
How do political opposition groups in Myanmar and Thailand use popular culture and art to generate legitimacy for their political causes and propagate their messages?
New Research Professor at PRIO: Øystein H. Rolandsen
Following an external academic evaluation, the PRIO Board has awarded Research Professor competence to Øystein H. Rolandsen.
Congratulations!
PRIO's Youth & Peacebuilding Research
Next Tuesday December 8th at 14.00 CET (Oslo time) we will have the PRIO Annual Peace Address, this time with young peacebuilders Hajer Sharief and Ilwad Elman.
On this occasion we wanted to highlight projects and research that focus on youth activism. We're sharing our work on young engagement in political change, because social movements that turn into positive societal transformation are not only initiated by people in power, but very often are initiated or inspired by youth trying to improve their communities. Here are some of the projects showing the importance of youth in peacebuilding.
MoD Funding for Project on Security Forces in the Sahel
The Sahel region is increasingly affected by transnational security threats which spill across national borders, such as insurgency, terror attacks, uncontrolled migration and illicit trafficking in commodities. A key reason for the persistence of those threats is the poor performance of the region’s security forces.
NORGLOBAL2 Kickoff Features Presentations of Three New PRIO Projects
Special Issue of Conflict, Security & Development Features Business for Peace Project
Latest events
All events
The Rise of Security Assistance: Evolution, Effects and Order(ing) in and of a Global Practice
POSTPONED How can comics tell truth to power and give voice to the oppressed
The Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of Providing Security Force Assistance
What Role for Norwegian Soldiers in Fragile States?
European Security Force Assistance and the rise of Great Power Competition
The Dilemmas of Western Engagement in the Syrian Civil War: How to avoid responsibility while governing the outcome?
Africa and Security Force Assistance
Small States and Security Force Assistance: Practitioners’ Perspectives
Military Capacity Building as a “One Size Fits All” Solution to Norway and NATO’s Security Challenges in Fragile States
Violent Extremism and Security Challenges in West Africa: What Role Can Preventive Diplomacy Play?
Current projects
All projects
Pop Culture, Art, and Indigenous Ideas of Legitimacy in Struggles over Democratization and Peace (POPAGANDA)
Working Through Violence; SMEs and the SDGs in Fragile Urban Spaces
The Impact of Security Force Assistance on State Fragility (SFAssist)
Conflict Trends
Youth, Identities and State-Society Relations in the Dynamics of Violence in South Sudan
