Background and experience
Associate Professor Department of Psychosocial Health (2024 -)
Assistant Professor Department of Psychosocial Health (2020-2024)
Project Manager, Child Welfare Education, Department of sociology and social work (2020)
PhD Research Fellow Department of Psychosocial Health (2017-2020)
Researcher at Sørlandet Hospital (2016-2019)
Adviser Sørlandet Hospital (2015)
Master of Political Science (2015)
Areas of responsibility
The Faculty’s Ethics Committee (FEK)
Member representing the Department of Psychosocial Health, as one of four members.
We conduct ethical assessments of research projects based on applications from staff and master’s students at the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences.
Course Coordinator:
Master’s Thesis in Psychosocial Health (ME-504)
Research Ethics and Development of Research Projects (ME-436-G)
Ethics, Legislation and Organization (PSY-431)
Organisation and Collaboration in Services (PSY-915)
Teaching
Teaching at Master’s Level
Teaching in the course Organisation and Collaboration (PSY-915) within the continuing education programme in Psychosocial Work with Children and Young People.
Additionally, teaching and supervising students in the course Psychosocial Work with Children and Young People (PSY-908), supervising students in Competence and Service Development (PSY-905), and teaching in Mental Health in Children and Adolescents (PSY-913).
Teaching in Organisation and Collaboration in Services (PSY-419) for students in continuing education in Mental Health Work.
Teaching in Ethics, Legislation and Organisation (PSY-431) for students in continuing education in Mental Health, Substance Use and Addiction Work.
Supervision of student groups in User-Oriented Working and Practice Methods (PSY-417) (2020–2023).
Teaching in Research Ethics and Development of Research Projects (ME-436-G), and teaching/leading seminar days in Master’s Thesis in Psychosocial Health (ME-504).
Teaching at Bachelor’s Level
Teaching in Social Science Subjects (VER215, 20 ECTS) for Social Educator students, covering ethics, law, and social anthropology.
Teaching in Service Organisation (VER309), including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Teaching in Knowledge-Based and Systematic Development Work in Practice.
Teaching research ethics in Bachelor’s Thesis in Social Education (VER310).
Supervision at Master’s Level
Supervised more than 30 master’s students to completion of a Master’s degree in Psychosocial Health, and some to completion of a Master’s degree in Child Welfare.
Supervision at Bachelor’s Level
Supervised more than 20 bachelor’s students to completion of a degree in Social Education.
Research
Leadership
Head of the research group Society, Places and Mental Health.
Peer Review
Peer reviewer for several national and international journals within mental health, human rights, child welfare, and development studies.
These include: The British Journal of Social Work, Genealogy, Child & Family Social Work, The European Journal of Social Work, Children and Youth Services Review, Social Sciences, Health and Place, and Fontene.
Academic Interests
Capabilities and dignity
Rights and rights-based approaches
Political philosophy
Ethics
Public Engagement Activities
Saturday University, Kristiansand (2025):
"In Your Best Interests – How Can Children and Young People Participate in Child Welfare Decisions?"
The lecture addressed Articles 3 and 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, focusing on decisions made in the best interests of the child and how this assessment is closely linked to the child’s right to be heard. The philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum (1947–), together with economist and philosopher Amartya Sen, developed the capability approach, which describes what individuals need in order to live dignified lives. Nussbaum further developed this framework by examining the role of the state in enabling and securing a minimum level of human dignity. The lecture explored how the capability approach can help us better understand the child’s best interests and the child’s right to participation.
BarnsBeste Research Network Conference (2024):
"Children’s Rights and Participation: Too Vulnerable to Participate?"
Opinion Piece, Morgenbladet (2022):
"The Government’s Outdated Understanding of Mental Health"
Saturday University, Arendal (2018):
"Experiences of Bullying: How Can We Use Painful Experiences of Bullying to Do Better and Ensure All Children and Young People the Right to Learning in a Safe and Supportive School Environment?"
Opinion Piece, Agderposten (2019):
"Old Idea in New Wrapping?"
Jan Georg Friesinger, Monica Strømland and Inger Beate Larsen