Research group for Welfare and Community Studies (WELCOM)

About the research group

In recent decades, a number of legislative changes and reforms have been implemented in Norway. For example, the municipal reform has led to an extensive merger of municipalities. The co-operation reform, the Nav reform and the new health and care services law have changed the framework for health and care services and welfare management. The reforms have led to changes that have become of great importance for the public welfare services, for the service providers, and especially for users of the services.

The research group for welfare studies is particularly concerned with the consequences of such changes for both service providers and users, with a particular focus on people living in vulnerable life situations and marginalized groups. The research group is interdisciplinary, and includes various disciplines such as sociology, anthropology and political science.

We in the research group have monthly meetings where we discuss various themes, present and discuss texts in process and planned or ongoing research.

The research group is, among other things, affiliated with the Research Network Institutional Ethnography in the Nordics, as well as ESA's network (N26); Sociology of Social Policy and Social Welfare.

• MembersCopy linkCopied
  • Ann-Torill Tørrisplass (Research group leader)
  • Esben Olesen (Assistant Research group leader)

  Researchers:

  • Guro Wisth Øydgard
  • Janne Paulsen Breimo
  • Linda Sjåfjell
  • Carina Henriksen
  • Johans Tveit Sandvin
  • Hilde Berit Moen
  • Christian Lo
  • Ingrid Fylling
  • Hilde Åsheim (Nordland Research Institute)
  • Cecilie Høj Anvik
  • Heidi Haukelien (USN)
  • Halvard Vike (USN)
  • Berit Vannebo
  • Linn-Marie Lillehaug Pedersen
  • Tesfahun Alemayehu Terrefe
  • Catrine Torbjørnsen Halås
  • Sandra Rosemarie Jervås
  • Alyssa Marie Kvalvaag
  • Alexander Stöpfgeshoff
  • Lea Louise Videt (Nordland Research Institute)

  Ph.D. students:

  • Lydia Mathilde Nystad
• Associated divisionCopy linkCopied

  Social work and Sociology, research methods and philosophy of science

• Study programmesCopy linkCopied
  • Master’s in social Analysis
  • Master’s in Social Welfare
  • Ph.d. Social Policy and Welfare
• Research projectsCopy linkCopied
  • PrepChild
  • ACTWEL – Articulating the cultural transformation of welfare and charity
  • TURBGOV – Collaborative Strategies for Robust Governance in Turbulent Times
  • ROBUST – Crisis Governance in Turbulent Times - Mindset, Evidence, Strategies
  • RESECTOR – Reinterpreting Sector Responsibility in Nordic Crisis Management after COVID-19
  • DEMRE – Democratic innovations and responsive politics
  • LABCARE – Learning across boundaries in elderly care
  • SCANSchoolAbsence
  • WELBOUND – Welfare society as a moral system: Boundaries and borders of sustainable management of collective goods in the Norwegian welfare state