Course content
Democracy is under siege, and we are called upon to protect and sustain it, while we also need to curiously investigate and understand it. How do democracies work and react, differently, in times of crisis? What are the ‘little tools’ and specificities of Nordic and other versions of democracy? In times of crisis, what is that we stand to lose? How is trust materialized, sustained and disrupted? How and by which means is value negotiated and turned into valuation struggles?
The course will be a combination of key note lectures, and in-depth discussion of students’ work. In addition to a reading list, papers will be pre-circulated and commentators will be appointed to each of them.
Admission to the course
This PhD course is open to PhD candidates from any institution. Admission to a certified PhD program is required for participation.
The application must be submitted digitally and include a completed application form with the following attachments: half-page description of their PhD project, together with a motivational letter, detailing how the course is relevant to the project and what kind of paper they plan to present at the course.
For applicants outside UiO: A letter of confirming your enrollment in a PhD program.
Application deadline: 1 March 2026
Accepted applicants will be notified by 23 March 2026, and are expected to submit a paper in advance of the course. Deadline for handing in paper: 1 April 2026.
Teaching
All PhDs come with papers that are precirculated among and read by all participants. For each paper there are two designated commentators, one teacher and one PhD. In each slot, the PhD will give a short presentation of his or her paper (5-10 min), then we will have comments by first the designated teacher, then the designated PhD (each between 5 and 10 minutes), then we will open the floor for a discussion among everyone in the group. In addition, we will have three keynotes, which to a greater or lesser extent will draw on the preparatory readings.
Convenors: Professor Kristin Asdal (TIK Centre for technology, innovation and culture, University of Oslo) and Helge Jordheim (Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies/GLOBE, University of Oslo)
Keynotes: Brice Laurent (Senior Researcher at the CSI and Director of the Social Sciences, Economy and Society Department of ANES, the French National Agency for Environmental, Food and Occupational Health & Safety).
Participants: max. 20
Examination
Participants are expected to submit a paper in advance of the course.
Deadline for handing in paper: 1 April 2026.
Language of examination
The paper must be submitted in English or a Scandinavian language.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.
More information: https://www.uio.no/studier/emner/sv/sv/TIK9030/index-eng.html
Organizers: Kristin Asdal, UiO, Helge Jordheim, UiO