Academic interests
- Scandinavian/European political history, social history and constitutional history in the (long) nineteenth century
- European military history c. 1750-1945
- National identity and nationalism
- 19th and 20th century international relations
- Military counterinsurgency and doctrine
Background
I am professor of modern history at IAKH and have worked at the department since September 2025. I am also external professor (professor II) of military history at the Norwegian Defence University College (Military Academy Campus), where I served as head instructor from 2017 to 2025. Prior to joining the military I was postdoctoral fellow at the University of Southern Denmark (2014-2017) and held various fellowships at the University of Oslo (2005-2014). I was also employed by the Norwegian Parliament (2006-2009) and graduated from the University of Oslo (PhD 2012, MA 2005).
Courses taught
Supervision
The post-1991 (or even post-1945) international order is withering away while liberal democracies are under immense pressure and high-intensity war rages in Ukraine, giving the lie to any notion that the end of the Cold War also marked the end of history. A resurgence of geopolitics, spheres of influence, Realpolitik, high-intensity warfare, authoritarianism and perhaps above all the reemergence of a multipolar world order may well signal that the nineteenth century is back. Though history does not repeat itself, it sometimes rhymes and may as such offer precedents, parallels and analogies that help us to better understand the present. Hence, I welcome proposals for theses (on all levels) concerned with international relations, warfare/war and society, nationalism (including imperialist nationalism and pan-nationalism) and challenges to the advent of modern democracy in the (long) nineteenth century.
I am also happy to supervise military students (all levels) writing theses on COIN, Maneuver Warfare (theory and doctrine) and general military history.
Awards
- The Nordic History Book Price 2014-2017 (with Rasmus Glenthøj)
Cooperation
- I am very exicted to be co-PI in the research project The Crimean War and Scandinavia (CRIMESCAN), financed by the Danish Research Council and hosted by the University of Southern Denmark (2026-2029).
- As external professor at the Norwegian Defence University College (Military Academy Campus) I help educate Norway's future army officers.