Marte Nilsen
Senior Researcher
Research Interests
- Political and violent conflicts in Myanmar and Thailand
- Civil society movements and societal transformation in peacebuilding and democratization
- Religious and spiritual practices in politics and nation building
- Popular culture and art in resistance movements
- The politics of humanitarian aid and development schemes in violent conflicts
- The Rohingya crisis and community strategies in forced displacement settings
Marte Nilsen is a Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). She is a Historian of Religions and holds a PhD from Lund University (Sweden). Her research focus is on political and violent conflicts in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Myanmar and Thailand, and on the Rohingya crisis.
In her current work, Nilsen investigates how opposition groups in Thailand and Myanmar use popular culture and art to challenge the legitimacy of the authoritarian state. The role of local cultures and religious and spiritual knowledge is of particular interest. In other projects, Nilsen conducts research on identity politics among Rohingya refugees and on the refugees' own humanitarian and political strategies.
Language skills
Fluent: Norwegian, English.
Intermediate: Thai, German.
Basic: Burmese, Chinese (Mandarin).
Education
2022: Thai Language, level 3 (1 year), SOAS, University of London.
2012: Dr.philos., History of Religions, Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, Lund University.
2012: Burmese language course (1 week intensive), SOAS University of London.
2006 Chinese language (KIN 1110-1120, 1 year), University of Oslo.
2005: Cand.philol., History of Religions, Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, University of Oslo.
2002: Cand.mag., History of Religions, Sociology, History, University of Oslo.
Positions of trust
2020 – present: Coordiator, PRIO's FIWON Network.
2017 – present: Coordiator, PRIO's Religion research group.
2017 – 2021: Coordinator, Research School on Peace and Conflict.
2006 – 2008: President, Attac Norway.
2005-2006: University board member, University of Oslo.
Dissemination
Podcasts
"Myanmar med Marte Nilsen" 198 land med Einar Tørnquist
"Aung San Suu Kyi og Myanmar" Historier som endret verden
"Coup in Myanmar seven months later” PRIO’s Peace in a Pod 54
"Myanmar et halvt år etter militærkuppet” Verden og vi NCA
“Kuppet i Myanmar” Utviklingspoddensialet
“Myanmar after the Coup” The Nordic Asia Podcast NIAS
“Coup in Myanmar: Protest, Art Technology” PRIO’s Peace in a Pod 25
"Art, Conflict and Land rights in Myanmar” PRIO’s Peace in a Pod 18
Television and Radio appearances (sample)
Myanmar Politics: Studio 2, NRK P2, 01.02.2022
Myanmar Politics: Dagsnytt 18, NRK2, 28.09.2021
Myanmar Politics: Studio 2, NRK P2, 01.02.2021
Thai Politics: Nyhetslunsj, NRK 06.05.2019
Thai Politics: TV2 Nyhetskanalen, 06.05.2019
Thai Politics: NRK Alltid Nyheter, 25.03.2019
Thai Politics: Urix på lørdag, NRK P2, 23.03.2019
Thai Politics: Studio 2, NRK P2, 06.03.2019
Myanmar Politics: Urix, NRK 2, 20.09.2017
Thai Politics: Ytring, NRK P2, 14.05.2017
Thai Politics: Norgesglasset, NRK P1, 13.10.2016
Thai Politics: Urix, NRK2, 12.10.2016
Thai Politics: Her og Nå, NRK P1, 12.08 2016
Thai Politics: Nyhetskanalen, 10pm. TV2 11.08.2016
Thai Politics: Nyhetsmorgen, NRK P2, 08.08.2016
Myanmar Politics: Urix, NRK2 15.02.2016
Thai Politics: Dagsrevyen, NRK1, 18.08.2015
Myanmar Politics: Urix NRK2, 15.03.2016.
Myanmar Politics: Nyhetsettermiddag NRK P2, 11.05.2015
Thai Politics: Norgesglasset NRK P1, 23.05.2014
Thai Politics: Dagsnytt 18 NRK2, 22.05.2014
Thai Politics: Nyhetsmorgen P2, 03.02.2014
Myanmar Politics: Urix NRK2, 14.11.2012
Thai Politics: Aktuelt NRK2, 19.05.2010
Thai Politics: Dagsnytt 18 NRK2, 18.05.2010
Thai Politics: Dagsnytt 18 NRK2, 19.05.2010
Latest publications
All publications
Rohingya-krisen fem år etter massakren
Popular Article in Bistandsaktuelt
Rohingya, fem år etter
Popular Article in Klassekampen
Rohingya refugees still desperate, five years after a genocide
Popular Article in Southeast Asia Globe
'Something Is Better than Nothing': Online Learning Pursuits of Rohingya Youth and Teachers in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Report - Other
Tid for solidaritet med Myanmar
Popular Article in Bistandsaktuelt
An Appraisal of Philippines-China Security Relations under the Duterte Administration (2016–2020)
PRIO Paper
“We Are Alive, but Have No Life”: Rohingya Refugees, Deprived of the Prospects for a Future
Book Chapter in Masks of Authoritarianism: Hegemony, Power and Public Life in Bangladesh
China in Myanmar: Complex Engagements, Complicated Relations
PRIO Policy Brief
Myanmar: weak leadership is prompting grassroots activists to make a difference
Popular Article in The Conversation
Finnes det håp for Myanmar? Valget, makt og motmakt
Popular Article in Asiapunkt
Latest news
All news
New Book Chapter: “We Are Alive, but Have No Life”: Rohingya Refugees, Deprived of the Prospects for a Future
The new book chapter "We Are Alive, but Have No Life": Rohingya Refugees, Deprived of the Prospects for a Future written by Senior Researcher Marte Nilsen, explores some of the everyday strategies of survival that stateless, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh make use of to navigate under the precarious conditions of being denied rights and recognition.
INSPIRE Seminar Series Autumn 2021
Please be invited and save the dates for the INSPIRE seminar series autumn 2021! The seminars will take place monthly, on Wednesdays from 12:00-13:00 CET, online, with invited researchers and artists.
Klo Kwe Moo Kham Successfully Defends Master's Thesis
Klo Kwe Moo Kham has successfully defended his thesis "The Quest for Peace in Kawthoolei: The Strategies, Outcomes, and Sustainability of Peacebuilding in Southeast Myanmar, 2012-2020".
Congratulations Klo!
New Online Exhibition from the TRANSFORM Project
In societies at war or facing severe repression, what motivates individuals to take action for social justice when doing so involves great risk and uncertainty? How do such small but often heroic everyday acts of common people inspire larger transformations? And what is the impact of storytelling about everyday acts that challenge inequalities and injustices in places like Myanmar, Somaliland and Syria?
The TRANSFORM research team has grappled with these questions for four years, and you will find some answers in this online exhibition.
Artistic Encounters in War and Violent Conflict: New Platform for the INSPIRE Project Launched
On June 3rd 2021, the INSPIRE research platform was launched with a live performance by Faytinga and a presentation of artwork by Diala Brisly. The research platform can be explored at inspire.gallery
Call for Applications: Three New PhD Positions at PRIO
PRIO invites applications for three Doctoral Researcher positions.
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?
NORHED II funding for global network on Peace and Conflict and Human Rights research
Norad has awarded funding through its NORHED II scheme for a six-year project to strengthen higher education institutions' ability to produce high-quality research and teaching. The project was initiated by The Norwegian Center for Human Rights (NCHR) and the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) in partnership with five leading institutions in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Stateless in the Bengali borderlands — Funding in Place for New Project
The project will investigate the current crisis of statelessness affecting millions of people in the Bengali borderlands, including the Rohingya population of Myanmar and Bengali Muslims in the Northeast Indian state of Assam.
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.
Latest events
All events
Inspiring Myanmar: Chuu Wai - An Artist with Baggage (INSPIRE Seminar Series)
Refugee Education Reimagined: A Pedagogy of Hope
INSPIRE Seminar Series: reCLAIM - Digital Curatorial Practices as Ethnographic Intervention
INSPIRE Seminar Series: Protest Aesthetics in Motion
INSPIRE Seminar Series: Guy Elhanan
INSPIRE seminar series: On Fearless Love: Tradition, Service, and Social Change
Fighting for Social Justice
INSPIRE seminar series: Mother, Singer, Survivor of Liberia’s Civil War and Refugee as Community Builder
Social Media in Armed Conflict: Conference Programme
Rallying for Democracy? Thailand's Latest Student Protests
Current projects
All projects
Use of Ancient Belief System for Legitimacy and Struggle for Democracy during the Authoritarian Regime in Myanmar (1990-2010)
Pop Culture, Art, and Indigenous Ideas of Legitimacy in Struggles over Democratization and Peace (POPAGANDA)
Stateless in the Bengali borderlands : New technologies and challenges for identity and identification
Inspirational Creative Practice: The Work of Artists after War and Violent Conflict (INSPIRE)
EducAid: Improving Education for Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar Living in Bangladesh
Latest blog posts
Rohingya Refugees Still Desperate, Five Years after a Genocide
Myanmar: weak leadership is prompting grassroots activists to make a difference
The Politics of Humanitarian Aid to Myanmar
No One can Fill King Bhumibol’s Shoes
Are We Nearing an End to Buddhist Extremism in Myanmar?
Myanmar's Ethnic Minorities Marginalized More
The Rise of Political Buddhism in Myanmar
Thailand’s Fragile Democracy
Myanmar's National Census - Helping or Disrupting Peace?
The Battle for Bangkok
