ATTR Institutional Members

ATTR Institutional members are PhD candidates who pursue a research topic which is compatible with ATTR research themes and are admitted in a PhD program at one of the ATTR institutions (UiO, UiB, UiT, NTNU, and MF).

ATTR Institutional members

Abercrombie, Lloyd Gregory. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Afzali, Parichehr. Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Airijoki, Moa. Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

Baldari, Serena. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Baadsvik, Halfdan. Faculty of Humanities. University of Oslo.

Berg, Andreas I. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Bliksrud, Hilde Alice. Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo

Bojarski, Lukasz. Faculty of Law, University of Oslo.

Bokor, BarbaraFaculty of Law, University of Bergen.

Bollaert, Johan. Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities,University of Oslo.

Bonde, Line M. MF - Norwegian School of Theology.

Bretfeld-Wolf, Ann-Kathrin. Department of Philosophy and Religious studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Broomfield, Heather. Department of Public and International Law, University of Oslo.

Busch, Emil. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Canepuccia Francesca. Dep. Of Philosophy, Classics, Hiostry of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo.

Christensen, Anja Smedstrup. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Costa, Bruno. Department of archaeology, history, cultural studies and religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

Dalen, Ingebjørg Aamlid. University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway.

Daneshvar, Khatereh. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Diesen, Rakel I. Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Ekberg, Sebastian. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo. 

Erikson, Evelyn. University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway.

Folkestad, Ragnhild Schiager. Department of Philosophy and Religious studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Fossestøl, IngeborgDepartment of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo.

Furali, Sjur Atle. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Fus, Mirela. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Garcia de Presno, Jostein. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

Gómez Baggethun, Cristina. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Hacioglu, Yasemin. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Halsnes, Magnus. Department of archaeology, history, cultural studies and religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

Hagen, Kaja Merete. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Hatløy, Brage Thunestvedt. Faculty of Law, University of Bergen.

Heesch, Jon Petter. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Hide, Øystein Edvardsen. Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, University of Oslo.

Holmqvist, Karen Langsholt. Faculty of Humanities (and NIKU). University of Oslo.

Hypzser, Joanna. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Isene, Solvår Ask. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society

Johansen, Lars HenrikNorwegian University of Science and Technology

Johansson, Joel. History of ideas, Department of philosophy, classics, history of art and ideas, University of Oslo.

Jonstrup, Rasmus Lund. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society

Lagset, Frode. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Lambertz-Nilssen, Tine. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Lukic, Dragana. Centre for Women's and Gender Research, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway.

Løvland, Maria. Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Mansoor, Ebrahim. Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

Maran, Ji Ra. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society

Menage, Kim. Department of Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, NTNU.

Mendoza, Lumberto Guce. Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

Moe, Birgitte Furberg. Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Mork, Laura-Marie. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

Moseng, Terje Breigutu. Department of archaeology, history, cultural studies and religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

Naderer, Max. Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Naime, Monica. Faculty of Law, University of Bergen.

Niangwujia, Xxx. Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Njinga, Meshack Edward. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Noor, Mohamed Aidarus. Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion University of Bergen.

Nysether, Hilde Andrea. Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo.

Ophoff, Jesse. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

Pavlos, Panagiotis. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas, University of Oslo.

Pedersen, Susann Anett. Department of Historical Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Pettersen, Vilde. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Pouls, Nick. Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion (AHKR), University of Bergen.

Reinertsen, Ellen Aasland. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.
Røren, Anastasia K., Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Sarion, Roxana. Encounters and Cultural Transfers in Colonial Hispanic Literature, HLS, University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway.

Sarkisyan, Nikolay. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Schøning, Eli-Anita Øivand, UiT - The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy of Fine Arts.

Seljeseth, Ida. Department of linguistics ans Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Shah, Farhan. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Sjelmo, Marit. The Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Skarpnes, Steinar. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

Solberg, Ragnhild Strøm. Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen.

Smelova, Natalia. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Staxrud, Helge Asbjørn. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Stiles-Ocran, David. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Strømmen, Tor Ivar. Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

Sture, Gunn Inger. Department of Foreign Languages, University of Bergen.

Sætre, Per Kristian Hovden. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

Thöne, Johanna-PaulineDepartment of Musicology, University of Oslo.

Tøssebro, Henriette. Faculty of Law, University of Oslo.

Woker, Hilde. Faculty of Law, University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway.

Zimeri, Sead. Department of Philosophy, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway.

ATTR PhDs


Cirafesi, Wally. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: John within Judaism: Religion, Ethnicity, and the Shaping of Jesus-Oriented Jewishness in the Fourth Gospel

Disputation: December 19, 2018.

 

 

 

Díaz-Faes, Alba Morollón. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: Fairy LGBTales: Mapping Fairy-Tales Retellings from the 1990s to the 2010s

Disputation: September 27, 2019. 

 

 

 

Heinz, Katharina. Department for Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies. Faculty of Humanities. University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: Kings and Mirrors. A Study of Rhetorical Strategies in the Materiality and Textuality of Konungs skuggsjá

Disputation: November 29, 2019.

 

 

 

Bildet kan inneholde: panne, nese, hår, kinn, leppe.Hervé, Sarah Camille. History of ideas, Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: Gallery of the Contemporary Insanities. A Historical Analysis of Political Caricatures in the French Satirical Journal "La Charge" (1832–1834).

Disputation: December 4, 2020.

 

 

Holt, Thor. Centre for Ibsen Studies, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: Far from Home: Ibsen through the Camera Lens in the Third Reich.

Disputation: January 17, 2020.

 

 

 

 

Johnsen, Emil Nicklas. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: I Klios forgård. Forfatterroller, offentlighet og politisk evaluering i Niels Ditlev Riegels’ (1755–1802) historieskriving

Disputation: November 1, 2019. 

 

 


Kibirige, Ronald. Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Doctoral dissertation title: Dancing Reconciliation and Re/integration: Lamokowang and Dance-Musicking in the Oguda-Alel Post-War Communities of Northern Uganda

Disputation: January 17, 2020.

 

Klawitter, Brandt. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: A Forceful and Fruitful Verse:
Textual and Contextual Studies on Genesis 1:28 in Luther and the Wittenberg Reformation (1521-1531)

Disputation: December 16, 2019.

 

 

Kloster, Sven Thore. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: Towards an Agonistic Theology. A Political Reading of the Concepts of Tradition in the Christian Theologies of Gerhard Ebeling and Kathryn Tanner

Disputation: February 13, 2020.

 

 

 

Løland, Ole Jakob. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: Pauline Refigurations. A Study in the Reception of Paul the Apostle in the Works of Jacob Taubes and Slavoj Žižek

Disputation: April 21, 2017.

 

 

Manga, Christian. Department of Foreign Languages, University of Bergen.

Doctoral dissertation title: Analyse polyphonique du discours présidentiel au Cameroun 1992 - 2015

Disputation: September 14, 2018.

 

 

Mendoza, Lumberto Guce. Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen. 

Doctoral dissertation title: On the possibility of Resolute Trancendentalism in Later Wittgenstein

Disputation: June 3, 2019.

 

 

Nyhus, Svein Henrik. Centre for Ibsen Studies, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: Henrik ibsen in the American Theatre, 1879-1914.

Disputation: February 7, 2020.

 

 

Rønning, Ole-Albert. Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo. 

Doctoral dissertation title: The Judicial Oath in Medieval Norway: Compurgation, community and knowledge in the thirteenth Century.

Disputation: May 16, 2019.

 

 

Tutty, Paula. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo. 

Doctoral dissertation title: The Monks of the Nag Hammadi Codices: Contextualising a Fourth Century Monastic Community

Disputation: October 11, 2019.

 

 

 

Vikan, Cornelia. Faculty of Humanities, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Doctoral dissertation title: Military Power and Ethics in the Grey Area of War – Afghanistan. A Critical Ethical-Philosophical Analysis of the Core Values of the Norwegian Armed Forces: Respect, Responsibility, and Courage

Disputation: December 6, 2019.

Zakariassen, Kari. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: "My People Consult Their Tree…" Human-Divine Interaction in Arboreal Spaces in the Ancient Levant

Disputation: June 21, 2019. 

 

 

 

Aarflot, Christine Henriksen. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

Doctoral dissertation title: God (in) Acts: A Narrative Analysis of the Characterization of God through God’s Actions in the Acts of the Apostles

Disputation: March 2, 2018.

 

 

ATTR PhD Projects

Abercrombie, Lloyd Gregory. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

“Continuity and Change in an Age of Transition: Biblical Reception and Manuscript Culture in Coptic Literature in Early Islamic Egypt”

My project will look at Coptic literature around the time of the Arab conquest of Egypt. The project has two aims: (1) to document how, and toward what ends, biblical and extra-biblical motifs were employed in this period in comparison to the Byzantine period (continuity and change in biblical reception); (2) to document and analyze how manuscript patronage, production, and dissemination occurred in this period in comparison with the Byzantine period (continuity and change in manuscript culture).

Afzali, Parichehr. Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

"Argumentative Writing among Iranian and Norwegian Learners of English and Native speakers of English"

My project proposal has a basis in corpus linguistics/phraseology and contrastive rhetoric. My focus is primarily on quantitative corpus linguistics and statistical analyses for the linguistic characterization of argumentation structure. A corpus-linguistic approach in usage-based linguistics to capture linguistic units of different types and sizes.

I do contrastive rhetoric analysis on the argumentative texts written by speakers of Persian, Norwegian and English using corpus linguistics. Furthermore, I am going to investigate 'rhetorical constructions' that are used by each group to find meaningful rhetorical patterns in L2 English argumentative texts and how these patterns are realized linguistically.

My goal is to provide help to improve the quality of argumentative writing by each group. I hope my research can help in policy making in language education and provide more effective strategies for teaching students how to write argumentative writing.

Airijoki, Moa. Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

TRANSPLANTING MONASTIC LITERATURE: CASE STUDY OF A COPTO-ARABIC VERSION OF THE APOPHTHEGMATA PATRUM

This project focuses on the medieval Copto-Arabic reception of the late antique monastic sayings collection popularly known as the apophthegmata patrum. As a case study, sources from St. Macarius monastery (Wadi Natrun) are employed. The aim is to highlight accommodation processes and transmission characteristics of a monastic collection that was translated and adapted to fit a medieval Egyptian setting.

Baldari, Serena. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"This is how God makes illustrations": Scriptural Imagery and (Inter-)Religious Literacy in Plural Societies"

A cognitive study of Italian and Scandinavian translations of the Qur’an in dealing with “subtle” aspects of imagery in the Arabic text. Combining text analysis and qualitative study, the project examines the linguistic aspects of the texts and their translations, but also their reception among students in the target cultures.

Baadsvik, Halfdan. Faculty of Humanities. University of Oslo.

"Origin and progress in Vitruvius' De architectura."

My dissertation concerns Vitruvius’ De architectura (c. 25 bc), the only treatise on architectural theory preserved from antiquity. In addition to precepts and descriptions concerning the art of building, mechanics and astronomy, Vitruvius’ work contains narrative depictions of origins and developments in science and architecture: discoveries of e.g. ornaments, technologies, machines and scientific principles. My project endeavours to explain the inner workings and functions of these narratives by way of philological close readings of intratextual and intertextual evidence. It looks at how these technological aetia (i.e. origin stories) are related to aetiology in other ancient literature.

Berg, Andreas I. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

“Same sex marriage as assimilation or equality through difference: A Queer Theological discourse on intimate relationships.”

Generally, in western society, and specifically, in theology, the discourse on intimate relationship is predominantly formed by what Judith Butler names a heterosexual matrix. i.e. a system that assumes that for bodies to cohere and make sense there must be a stable sex expressed through a stable gender (masculine expresses male, feminine expresses female) that is oppositionally and hierarchically defined through the compulsory practice of heterosexuality. When met with humans that deviates in a significantly way from this heterosexual matrix, such as LGBTIQ+ persons, the theological discourse strikes a problem: How can one discuss a theology of intimate relationship, without assimilating LGBTQI+ persons in to a heterosexual matrix? My dissertation will explore this possibility through two main lines. First I will collect qualitative data by interviewing people who personally define themselves as LGBTIQ+ persons. I will examine in what space my informants construct and construe intimate relationships. Second I will use this data in a theological discourse to figure out how a heterosexual matrix can be deconstructed as space for theological construction of intimate relationships, thus constructing a queer space, liberated from a heterosexual matrix on intimate relationships.

Bliksrud, Hilde Alice. Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo

"Conflicting Systems of knowledge: Dual Identity in the Icelandic Sagas"

The aim of this project is to study select Icelandic sagas with one specific goal in mind: to identify and map out literary motifs that can be explained and analyzed based on a monastic rationale. Furthermore, I will discuss the struggle between old (presumed to be pre-Christian) and new (Christian) imaginaries found in the texts. This work draws and expands on my previous study (2008) of the motif with the breastfeeding male hero in the Flóamanna saga, which I have interpreted through the Cistercian abbot ideal from the 12th century. With the present project, I plan to broaden the scope and explore comparable motifs in the Icelandic sagas Eyrbyggja saga, Vatnsdæla saga and Grettis saga. Such a reading of the themes of Icelandic sagas into monastic traditions has so far not been done to any great extent within the field of saga research before, and my aim is to use the current project to produce new insights that are relevant to this field.

Bojarski, Lukasz. Faculty of Law, University of Oslo.

"Judges under Stress: JuS - the Breaking Point of Judicial Institutions"

In the opinion of the author judges have a professional, legal and moral obligation to resist authoritarian measures, to defent their independence and impartiality and the citizens right to independent and impartial court. The research focuses on examples of judidcial resistance in the Polish history (communist rule) and presence (attacks on judicial independence that started in late 2015).

Bokor, BarbaraFaculty of Law, University of Bergen.

"The role of business entities in combatting marine plastic pollution"

I'm dealing with the legal and economic aspects of marine plastic pollution

Bollaert, Johan. Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities,University of Oslo.

"Roman alphabet inscriptions in Norway – A writing culture?"

During the early Middle Ages, Roman alphabet inscriptions occurred alongside runic inscriptions. How were these two writing systems used (differently), and why were they used simultaneously? Characteristics of the writing strategies used in the Roman alphabet inscriptions are investigated and compared to runic and manuscript material. As such, the place of Roman alphabet inscriptions in the Scandinavian writing culture and its role in the verschriftlichung of society is studied.

Bonde, Line M. MF - Norwegian School of Theology.

"Materialized Conceptions of Jerusalem in Twelfth-Century Danish Rural Parish Churches"

This dissertation is a venture into the most common and shared denominators of the first Danish rural parish churches built of stone during the long twelfth-century.

Bretfeld-Wolf, Ann-Kathrin. Department of Philosophy and Religious studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

"The Dhātuvaṃsa and New Perspectives on Theravāda Buddhist Historiography"

My PhD thesis focuses on the Dhātuvaṃsa---a Buddhist "medieval" historiographical text from the southern Sri Lankan kingdom of Rohaṇa. I inverstigate in how far the Dhātuvaṃsa uses established Sri Lankan Buddhist narratives and motifs---especially narratives telling the creation of sacred space and the motif of ideal Buddhist kingship---in order to create a distinct Rohaṇa identity set apart from the identity of the northern kingdom, which is represented in the majority of Sri Lankan historiographical texts.

Broomfield, Heather. Department of Public and International Law, University of Oslo.

"Government by Algorithm - Protecting Democratic Values in the Deployment of Artificial Intelligence by the Public Sector"

My doctoral research is concerned with the appropriate governance of the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and other data driven tools by the public sector.

Busch, EmilThe Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"Heart Donation after Circulatory Death and The Dead Donor Rule"

In my project I seek to investigate how the dead donor rule (DDR) and thereby the limit between life and death is affected by cDCD of the hearth. Further, I will investigate the ethical, biological and political consequences of introducing cDCD in Norway, and establish criteria that ought to be observed regarding donation of the heart.

Canepuccia Francesca. Dep. Of Philosophy, Classics, Hiostry of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo

“Saint Birgitta’s Roman Legacy: Santa Francesca Romana”

In 1384, just few years after Birgitta of Sweden’s death, Francesca Romana was born into a noble Roman family. The two women shared some significant experiences: both were married and later widowed, and both were prophetically gifted, challenging in different ways the popes of their time. Francesca Romana was one of the first persons to consider Birgitta’s legacy in Rome and to adopt it within the framework of the new historical circumstances with which she herself had to cope: she experienced her own visions after the Council of Constance and during the Council of Basel. Francesca Romana most likely had to act carefully in a period when theologians such as Jean Gerson strongly condemned Birgitta and other female visionaries. My project therefore will focus on how Francesca raised her voice in Rome despite all these difficulties. The research will be led studying primary sources, more specifically Francesca Romana’s Revelations manuscripts, and how the text circulated within the city of Rome. Thus, an essential part of the work will be an analysis of the circulation and reception of these manuscripts.

Christensen, Anja Smedstrup. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"The Efficacy of Blood: A Ritualistic Analysis of the Function of Blood in Selected Hebrew Bible Texts"

This PhD project aims is to examine the ritual efficacy of blood in the Hebrew Bible. I will apply ritual theory to the texts to show how ritual actions are expected to be efficacious and how they are interpreted as having meanings and functions. The anthropology of blood in the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near East will supplement the ritual perspective since concepts of blood may substantiate ritual efficacy.

Cirafesi, Wally. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"John within Judaism: Religion, Ethnicity, and the Shaping of Jesus-Oriented Jewishness in the Fourth Gospel"

My project explores the priestly-oriented Jewish context of the Gospel of John by looking at the material culture of purity rituals, the role of synagogue and temple, and the development of priestly-oriented theology in Judaism of the Second Temple period. The goal is to understand how John relates to and works as a particular form of Judaism in the first century, long before the emergence of a distinct religion called "Christianity."

 

Costa, Bruno. Department of archaeology, history, cultural studies and religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

„Insular Inquisition. The Holy Office in the Atlantic Islands (16th – 17th centuries)”

This project will evaluate the activity of the Spanish and the Portuguese Inquisition in the Atlantic archipelagos (Azores, Canaries, Cape Verde, Madeira, and São Tomé and Príncipe). By resorting to the comparative method, it will analyze the agents of the Holy Office and its activity (trials, visitations, and visits to the ships), trying to establish concordance and discordance between those Spaces.

Dalen, Ingebjørg Aamlid. Department of Archaeology, History, Religious Studies and Theology, University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway.

"The post-reformation priesthood in Northern Norway: Recruitment, education and Networks"

A study of the Clergy of Northern Norway from the reformation in 1537 to the introduction of autocracy in 1660. The priesthood is investigated as a group using prosopography as a method. Who was recruited, were they formally educated and to what extent did they create social networks to secure their position are central questions in the Research.

Daneshvar, Khatereh. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"The Dialogue of Two Romantic Voices: A Comparative Study of the Radical, Conservative and Esoteric Stances of William Blake and Robert Southey during the Revolutionary and Counterrevolutionary Period"

My Doctoral thesis, titled “The Dialogue of Two Romantic Voices: A Comparative Study of the Radical, Conservative and Esoteric Stances of William Blake and Robert Southey during the Revolutionary and Counterrevolutionary Period.” Briefly put, I am doing a comparative study of William Blake and Robert Southey, as exemplars of two types of radicalism that developed and altered during the upheavals of the French Revolution. I compare the origins, growth, and development of their radical ideas to find out how they have changed over the time and how this is reflected on their literary works from the 1790s to the 1820s. In other words, I aim to explain how Blake’s overt radicalism moved to highly personal esotericism, and Southey’s early revolutionary character changed into a conservative, who valued the established order and forcefully articulated the dominant cultural ideology. In doing so, I am examining the contrasting ways in which the two poets responded to the political and historical upheavals, identifying and comparing their rhetoric in response to radical motifs of the time (such as revolution, abolitionism, etc...). I am also interested in the concept of integration of structure and ideology in the works of Blake and Southey and aiming to answer, what is the relation between the poets’ deliberate choice of genre and their manipulation of literary Conventions.

Díaz-Faes, Alba Morollón. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Fairy LGBTales: Mapping Fairy-Tales Retellings from the 1990s to the 2010s."

My research will investigate a number of queer contemporary retellings of fairy tales. These retellings are a response to fairy tales that are very familiar to us, most notably conservative versions that have come to form the classical canon of tales and which are overwhelmingly heterocentric. Therefore, queer retellings both directly question the exclusion of LGBTQI+ people from the genre and offer more inclusive modes of representation.

Diesen, Rakel I. Norwegian University of Science and Technology. 

"Conceptions of Nordic Childhood and Youth in Medieval Hagiography"

My project: “Conceptions of Nordic Childhood and Youth in Medieval Hagiography” looks at what Nordic vitae and miracle collections can reveal about the lives of children and the conception of childhood in the Nordic Middle Ages. The outlined project is designed as a text- and discourse analytical study.

Ekberg, Sebastian. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"Nicholas of Cusa's Pneumatology"

I intend to critically retrieve the pneumatological elements of Nicholas of Cusa's capacious thought, with the purpose of putting him in conversation with contemporary theology.

Eriksen, Evelyn. University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway

"The Principle of the Best Interests of the Child in kindergarten context"

The PhD-project investigate how the Principle of the Best interests of the Child is concretized, understood, and practiced in a kindergarten context, by analysing different authorative texts, and interviewing kindergarten teachers. Texts being analysed, is various expert, political and legal documents relating to both Norwegian kindergarten and the principle of the best interests. The study is conducted through the lens of social constructionism and apply a hermeneutic understanding.

Folkestad, Ragnhild Schiager. Department of Philosophy and Religious studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

"Musical understanding, meaning-relations and the grammar of aesthetical language games. – New perspectives on the later Wittgenstein and the relation of music and language."

My research project will look closely into some of the writings of Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), with a main focus on his writings and remarks about music in relation to philosophy. In the vast commentary literature on Wittgenstein, commentators have barely started to pay attention to Wittgenstein combined enquiry of aesthetics and language. It is my aim to explore and to bring out this aspect of Wittgenstein’s texts.

Fossestøl, Ingeborg. Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo.

"A Public Sphere in Transformation: Translation and Readers in the Istanbul Periodic press, 1870-1908"

I investigate how translation from French into Turkish affected Istanbul print culture, and how it contributed to shape readership. Departing from the periodic press, I look at how ideas about what translation should be were challenged by economic considerations, readers’ expectations, and transnational literary trends. I aim at investigating translation from several angles, thus challenging the conception of late Ottoman translation as mere transfers of ideas from West to East.

Furali, Sjur Atle. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"Shaping Criminal Law"

Reveal the Decalogue's influence on natural law in Denmark-Norway in the 17th Century, and how this influence affected the simultaneous development of criminal Law.

Fus, Mirela. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Philosophical Engineering and Engineering Generics"

The overarching research question of my dissertation is: Can pernicious effects of generic statements such as “Blacks are violent,” “Muslims are terrorists,” “Women are submissive” be ameliorated by applying the method of engineering in philosophy? In my dissertation, I address this question in two stages. In the first part of my dissertation, I make a contribution to the field of philosophical methodology by offering a general methodological account of engineering in philosophy I dub 'philosophical engineering.’ In the second part of my dissertation, I make a contribution both to the field of generics and the field of philosophical methodology by developing a domain-specific account of engineering generic judgments.

Garcia de Presno, Jostein. MF Norwegian School of Theology

"Et tempel av hjerter. Hans Nielsen Hauges vennesamfunn og det nye Jerusalem." (Norwegian)

The project investigates the role that the hope of a new Jerusalem played for Hans Nielsen Hauge and the Haugean communities of friends. Hauge and his friends saw themselves as the true heirs to the new Jerusalem. The project seeks to investigate how this influenced their self-perception, their daily comings and goings and their relation to society and authorities. A main source for the project will be legal documents from the lawsuit against Hans Nielsen Hauge.

Gómez Baggethun, Cristina. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Crisis and Utopia: Henrik Ibsen’s plays in Spanish Theatres and Television during late Francoism and the Transition to Democracy (1962-1982)"

My research will offer a political interpretation of the production and reception of Ibsen’s plays in the period of transformation of Spain from a dictatorship to a democracy (1962-1982). As this was a particularly politically charged period and as Ibsen is often related to socio-political questions, I believe this study case constitutes a privileged opportunity to reflect upon the relationship between theatre and politics.

Hacioglu, Yasemin. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Thinking Through Poems: How the Genre of Poetry is Thought to Utilise the Mind in Late Eighteenth-Century Women’s Novels."

My project explores how eighteenth century fiction uses poetry for specific thought processes. I shall concentrate on women’s novels in the latter part of the century, especially by Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Smith and Amelia Opie. Through combining cognitive approaches with analysis of eighteenth-century ideas of reading and the poetic genre, I will look at how poems within novels were used as a space for reflection and active decision-making.

Halsnes, Magnus. Department of archaeology, history, cultural studies and religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

Hagen, Kaja Merete. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

“The miraculous medieval image in Early Protestantism”

I am a member of the research project “The ambiguous memory of Nordic Protestantism (MEMORY)” and my Ph.D. project focuses upon medieval objects that once were perceived as miraculous. The overall aim is to examine the interpretations and understandings of medieval images believed to be miraculous or animated in early Protestantism in a Danish-Norwegian context.

In the Middle Ages, several paintings and sculptures across Europe were reported to weep, bleed or move, or to possess powers that could heal or interfere with the faithful´s earthly life. The medieval image could potentially embody a real presence of the divine, and its ontology thus reached far beyond the referential, aesthetic or didactic.

In what today constitutes the Norwegian territory, post-Reformation sources reveal that four preserved objects were perceived as miraculous: The Crucifix from Røldal Church, still hanging in the church, the Cross from Borre Church and the figure of St. Nicholas from Eidsborg Church, both in the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo and the Crucifix from Fana, now in the University Museum of Bergen. Even though these objects originate from the medieval period, it is yet to be established if the understandings of these objects as miraculous derive from the same period or if the cults developed first after the Reformation. An examination of possible medieval sources that might disclose the objects´ medieval ontology will take place in the first part of the Project.

Next, the project aims to shed light on the objects´ materiality, and hence ontology, understood as an examination of their form, iconography and of the materials of which they were crafted. The project will examine how the beholder understood how the divine could be revealed through human sensory experiences of earthly matter and how, if any, changes occurred in such understandings and interpretations in the transition from the Middle Ages to early modern time.

Hatløy, Brage Thunestvedt. Faculty of Law, University of Bergen.

“The harmonization of the Gulathing and Frostathing compilations in the creation of the Code of the Norwegian Realm of 1274”

The project aims to chart and analyse the development of Norwegian property law and law of obligations in the change from the 12th and 13th century provincial compilations from Gulathing and Frostathing to the Code of the Norwegian Realm of 1274.

Heesch, Jon Petter. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

“Deconstructing die Sichtungszeit- understanding Zinzendorfs Blood and Wounds theology”

Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760): founder of Herrnhut, visionary, ”count without borders”, world wide traveller, missionary and mystic. Die Sichtungszeit (the Sifting Period has, almost without exception, been interpreted as the period between 1743 and 1750, widely accepted since Hermann Plitts three volume work on the life of Zinzendorf (1871), and to this day. Why is one scentific interpretation regarded as normative for such a long time? My thesis is a reading of texts spanning the whole literary production of Zinzendorf. My aim is to convey that the key features of die Sichtungszeit are present throughout his works, also the ones preceding 1743. Furthermore, I will widen the scope by showing that his theology carries influences from a much wider Christian tradition. Constructing a certain timeframe has been a nice and tidy approach, but it is flawed.

Heinz, Katharina. Department for Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies. Faculty of Humanities. University of Oslo.

"Visuality as Gateway to knowledge in Old Norse educational thought: an analysis of material and mental images in Konungs skuggsjá (The King's Mirror)"

My project is an analysis of how visuality as part of medieval education was approached in Old Norse intellectual thought. By applying a rhetorical framework, this study will approach material and mental images in the main manuscript of Konungs skuggsjá in a way that it will contribute with new perspectives on how pedagogy was used in moral and spiritual education within the Norwegian elite during the thirteenth Century.

Hervé, Sarah Camille. History of ideas, Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"The Caricature as a Virtuous Indignation. An analysis of the satirical journal La Charge (1832-1834)"

My project focuses on the French satirical and monarchical journal La Charge (1832-1834). The journal was created to counter the oppositional and particularly popular satirical journal La Caricature (1830-1843), describing its ambition as being motivated by a “virtuous indignation”.

Hide, Øystein Edvardsen. Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, University of Oslo.

"Aandelig kommunikasjon – Ein analyse av Olav H. Hauge si dagbok 1924–1994"

This research project offers a multifaceted theoretical approach to the study of diaries, ranging from textual and cultural aspects to perspectives from self-knowledge and communication theory.

It establishes a distinction between two kinds of discourse within this genre, diarium and journal, and applies this distinction to a textcultural analysis of the Norwegian poet Olav H. Hauge’s diary, written in 1924–1994.

In addition, the research project exhibits textcultural traits of two literary traditions essential to Hauge’s understanding of diary writing: The American Transcendentalism and the New Norwegian written culture.

Holmqvist, Karen Langsholt. Faculty of Humanities. University of Oslo (and NIKU).

"A personality set in stone: Portrayals of the self in medieval epigraphic texts"

The objective of my project is to investigate how carvers portray their selves in epigraphic writing on different materials (gravestones, runestones, churches, other medieval buildings), and in different contexts in medieval Scandinavia. I will look at the inscriptions from a cognitive perspective and study the interplay between inscription and context, and how the carver’s cognitive processes concerning his self-perception and self-portrayal is both formed by and forming his surroundings.

Holt, Thor. Centre for Ibsen Studies, University of Oslo.

"Henrik Ibsen through the Camera Lens in the Third Reich"

The project explores movies based on Henrik Ibsen during the the National Socialist period in Germany (1933–1945): "Terje Vigen", Peer Gynt, Pillars of Society, An Enemy of the People and A Doll´s House.

Hypzser, Joanna. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo

"Coptic Manuscripts from Touton (Fayum) between the ninth and eleventh centuries CE"

The focus of my PhD thesis is the analysis of Coptic manuscripts allegedly produced in Touton in Egypt between the ninth and eleventh centuries and found in two different monasteries. The study of the codicological data, as well as documentary and archaeological sources should reveal important information about the state of Christianity and Christian book production in the final stages of Coptic language.

Isene, Solvår AskMF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society.

"Not 'My Shepherd?' -the Reception and Re-presentation of the Persian King Cyrus in OG Isaiah.”

My project looks at how the Persian king Cyrus, who ended the Babylonian captivity for the Jewish people, is portrayed in the Old Greek translation of Isaiah. The analysis of the OG Isaiah material in relation to Hebrew Isaiah witnesses will be informed by translation studies. What does this portrayal of a former, foreign ruler, tell us about the strategies of the Jewish community that produced the translation?

Johansen, Lars HenrikNorwegian University of Science and Technology

"...chanter un Discours" - The Eloquence of Marc-Antoine Charpentiers Leçons de Ténèbres

The Ph.D.-project “...chanter un Discours - The Eloquence of Marc-Antoine Charpentiers Leçons de Ténèbres" studies declamatory practices in the musical settings by Charpentier (1643-1704) of the Book of Lamentations. The vast literature of 17th Century Paris about language in its many facets helps the understanding of Charpentier’s music as stemming from an oral tradition of text reading, and the understanding of this tradition by considering the musical renderings of it.

Johansson, Joel. History of ideas, Department of philosophy, classics, history of art and ideas, University of Oslo.

"Homelessness in Oslo – Emotional perspectives on urbanization and farmer youths 1919–1939"

The main focus of my PhD project is to investigate how Bondeungdomslaget i Oslo (BUL) addressed emotions in relation to the conflicts of urbanization and the forming of the farmer youths in the city. Through the concept of "emotional communities" and analyzing selected articles in the main journal of BUL during 1919–1939 my project will investigate these aspects more closely.

Johnsen, Emil Nicklas. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"I Klios Forgård. Niels Ditlev Riegels (1755-1802) og historieskrivingens roller i den sene opplysningstidens offentlighet" (Norwegian)

My thesis investigates the role of history and the role of the historian in the public sphere in the late 18th century, with special focus on the historical texts of danish historian Niels Ditlev Riegels (1755-1802).

Jonstrup, Rasmus Lund. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society.

"From Cradle to Grave: A Homiletical Study on the Meaning of Life according to Pentacostal Preachers in Mosaik and Atheistic Speakers in Humanistisk Samfund."

Meaning of life is presented very differently in different groups in Nordic Societies. This project seeks to uncover how this existential issue is presented in two different groups in Denmark, with respectively Pentacostal Christianity and humanistic atheism. The first is Mosaik (Mosaic) and the second is Humanistisk Samfund (Humanistic Society). How do these pastors and speakers address this in their sermons and speeches, and what are the differences and similarities?

Kibirige, Ronald. Faculty of Humanities, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. 

"Reconciliation Ritual-dances and Social-cultural Reintegration in Post-war Communities of the Acholi Sub-region in Northern Uganda: Bodily Skills and Hidden Meanings in Indigenous Dance Practices"

The core purpose of this research is to uncover, make accessible (through education and other forms of knowledge dissemination) the potentials of embodied practices of indigenous music and dance in siting, and mitigating present-day community challenges of reconciliation and reintegration. The research will further investigate politically “formal” international interactive interventions with interdisciplinary humanistic disciplines of music and dance, through which communities embody and transcend beyond what is rather explicit.

Klawitter, Brandt. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

“Did Luther Like Babies?—Luther, Procreation and the Theology of the Lutheran Confessions”

This project seeks to examines Luther's understanding of the nature, purpose, function, and significance of procreation as understood primarily through the lens of Luther's Genesis Lectures (1535-1545) even as it addresses important contextual and textual issues surrounding the editing and publication of those lectures.

Kloster, Sven Thore. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

“Text and Tradition: A critical study of interpretations of historical continuity in a contemporary Protestant theology“

The overall research question of the project is “how can the relation between historical continuity and change be interpreted and conceptualized within contemporary Lutheranism?” From a Protestant point of view this question concerns hermeneutical topics such as authority, tradition and textual interpretation. The project explores constructions of history and tradition in the theologies of Gerhard Ebeling and Christine Helmer and subsequently brings these interpretations into dialogue with Michel Foucault’s critical thinking and Aleida Assmann’s concept of cultural memory. Thus, in a wider sense, the project also elaborates on the relation between systematic theology and contemporary intellectual thinking.

Lagset, Frode. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"Kirke i fredsnasjon" (Norwegian)

The project discusses the possibility of a common set of values in a pluralistic society through the example of Norwegian theologian Tor Aukrust's oeuvre. This has had considerabe impact on political-ethical discourse in Norway.

Lambertz-Nilssen, Tine. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"Theology and aesthetics: Ecclesiastical art and architecture as theological source, expression and interpretation"

The intent of this work is to shed light on the christianity, faith and ’the christian interpretation of life’ (kristen livstolkning) of the Norwegian Church of today. This will be done by using ecclesiastical art and architecture as independent sources, and also in relation to central biblical, lutheran and more recent theological texts.

The main research-question is: What is central in and typical of recent and contemporary norwegian protestant christianity, when the esthetical content and expression of and in the churches are used as main sources for analysis and interpretation?

Lukic, Dragana. Centre for Women's and Gender Research, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway.

“Artistic Entanglements: Multiple ontologies of dementia in fictional film adaptations and co-creative arts sessions with people living with dementia”

The project explores creative potentials of the arts for crafting different understandings of dementia. The project includes analysis of popular fictional film adaptations on Alzheimer's disease and co-creative arts sessions in a nursing home in North Norway, from the perspective of feminist new materialist theories. By combining these diffractive methodological approaches, the project creates different situated knowledges about dementia and encourages different forms of collective agencies to emerge.

Løvland, Maria. Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

"Evolutionism in Ibsen’s contemporary plays and in the contemporary press and history of ideas"

I want to conduct a discourse analysis of how Ibsen responded to the mediation of science discourses circulating in the second half of the 19th century in Scandinavia as well as in Europe in general, and how he himself participated in the circulation of these. I intend to study theories of evolution and inheritance in general and their discursive presence and circulation in various forms of communication (media) but in particular, how these same discourses pervade Ibsen's oeuvre. Based on Ibsen's text, I want to combine digital macro search in the National Library's digitized books, newspaper and magazine material from ca. 1850s to late 1890s with close reading and historical contextualization.

Mansoor, Ebrahim. Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

"Family Law in Pre-Modern Zaydi Yemen."

Before the emergence of laws in the present-day sense, jurisprudential compilations, in old Muslim societies, were used in courts as authoritative laws. In Yemen, for example, during the spread of Zaydi doctrine, judges followed rules contained in fiqh works of Zaydi imams and scholars. My study aims to investigate those authenticated Zaydi law/fiqh texts and study their development throughout the period of 1300 - 1620

Manga, Christian. Department of Foreign Languages, University of Bergen.

"Analyse polyphonique du discours présidentiel au Cameroun 1992 - 2015"
My work falls within the framework of discourse analysis. It moves from different observations made on the field of political discourse in general and that of Cameroon political context in particular. The latter is characterized by two realities. The first one is that of the lifelessness of a dispersed opposition and the second is the resulting overpower of the regime. This situation of serious disequilibrium in the political action appears through the speeches of the main leader. Very conscious of his supremacy, he makes speeches in which marks of the opposition and their actions scarcely appear. Therefore, his speeches are mid-way between self-reference and polyphony.

Maran, Ji Ra. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society.

"Pauline Metaphorical Language of Slavery and Freedom in Light of Stoic Philosophy"

This work focuses on Paul's view on freedom for believers in the context of slavery. A comparison between the teaching of Paul and that of the Stoics Seneca, Musonius and Epictetus will be undertaken.

Menage, KimDepartment of Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, NTNU.

"The Media Ecology of Marine Plastic Pollution"

Kim's research establishes a critical engagement with the media ecology of marine plastic pollution. This is achieved by juxtaposing media messaging with, for example, the historical legal narrative of flotsam and salvage, and the status quo in marine biological research regarding microplastics.

Mendoza, Lumberto Guce. Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

“On the possibility of Resolute Trancendentalism in Later Wittgenstein”

My research aims to articulate a framework for understanding Wittgenstein’s intended philosophical procedure in his work Philosophical Investigations within the context of the emerging debate between the resolute readings and transcendental readings of the later Wittgenstein. I consider the possibility of a certain kind of "resolute transcendentalism" which draws from what Wittgenstein says in PI 116 that what philosophers do is to “bring words back from their metaphysical to everyday use.”

Moe, Birgitte Furberg. Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Fra notat til litteratur. På gjengrodde stier - en tilblivelseshistorie." (Norwegian)

Mork, Laura-Marie. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

"Religion and/or politics? The political communication in Early Modern Sweden under the reign of Gustav Vasa (1520-1560)"

In my dissertation project I discuss political communication with regard to religious connotations in Early Modern Sweden under the reign of Gustav I. Vasa (1520-1560). The aim in this study is to analyse the communication patterns with focus on religious and political arguments by which the different and partly opposing interests of the four estates and the king were discussed, legitimated and delegitimised.

Moseng, Terje Breigutu. Department of archaeology, history, cultural studies and religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

"Medieval historiography and the public sphere. The public function of historiography in the German Empire, c. 950-1150"

The aim of my PhD project is to examine what function historical writing served in the medieval public sphere. I do this by placing authors and their historical works into a communicative context, and then in close connection with this analysing selected discourses on contentious contemporary topics like simony and bad bishops. The main focus is on the German Empire, c. 950–1150.

Naderer, Max. Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo.

"Violence in the political culture during the Nordic ‘Civil Wars’"

I want to discuss the use, function and perception of (physical) violence in the political culture during the Nordic ‘civil wars’ in the High Middle Ages. Geographically I will focus on Norway, Denmark and Germany described in the narrative sources of the Old Norse as well as the Latin sources of a more ecclesiastical origin. By comparing these, not only different regions, but also different literary cultures I will hopefully be able to identify characteristics and mutualities.

Naime, Monica. Faculty of Law, University of Bergen.

"States' international responsibility for private actors: the unexpected consequences of governance networks?"

Monica Naime currently researches on State responsibility. She looks into the legal consequences of governance networks. As more and more private individuals and companies are being contracted out by States in order to provide public services or, more broadly, to exercise public functions, it becomes necessary to delimit responsibilities, for the sake both of the private actor and of the State, nationally as well as internationally. As her approach to law -and international law- is functional and practical, her research interdisciplinary, including law and social sciences.

Niangwujia, Xxx. Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Rituals to Sacred Mountains and Religious Authority in Amdo"

My research focus will be on a sacred mountain in the Tibetan region, in Qinghai Province, PRC. Its supernatural ruler is revered as a guardian deity. The objective is the documentation, systematization and analysis of rituals to this cult. Research questions are what is the cosmological logic of local religious cults and their relation to the social and cultural contexts, how they change and relate to local religious authorities.

Njinga,  Meshack Edward. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

“The Kingdom of God and the Poor: An Investigation of the Impacts of Globalization to poor Christians in Tanzania”

This study focuses on investigating on how the Kingdom of God is related to the situation of our contemporary globalization context. It investigates the impacts of globalization to poor Christians in the third world through the liberating Contextual Bible reading of the poor Christians in Tanzania. The study researches on how the poor Christians come up with the message from the text and make reflections on their globalized context.

Noor, Mohamed Aidarus. Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion University of Bergen.

"‘Becoming a canon’: History, Process and Context in the Canonization of Minhj al-Tlibn along the Western Indian Ocean Coast in the 19th and 20th Century."

This research project seeks to study when, how, and by the actions of whom did Minhj al-Tlibn acquire its status and authority in its process of canonization. In investigating these processes this study shall target specifically questions of its selection and validation, the actors and participants in this process and how to understand the constructions of boundaries of canonicity in relation to the usage of Minhj al-Tlibn in the Western Indian Ocean coast

Nyhus, Svein Henrik. Centre for Ibsen Studies, University of Oslo.

"Henrik Ibsen on the American theatre, 1879-1914."

My dissertation aims to account for Henrik Ibsen’s American breakthrough from 1879 to 1914. Its main emphasis is on the performance history of his plays in this period and includes discussions on the historical factors which helped shape the reception of Ibsen in these years.

Nysether, Hilde Andrea. Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo.

"Beggja vinir ok frændr – Overlapping networks as a stabilizing element under «the Nordic civil wars»"

My projects main goal is to study how overlapping networks between the social elite in Norway/ Iceland influenced on the phenomenon often described as «the Nordic civil wars». The aim is to investigate to what degree such networks helped to limit the losses in the conflicts, particularly by arbitration between members of the networks , or by seeking truce on the behalf of specific persons or whole groups of People.

Ophoff, Jesse. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

"Understanding the Gospel of the Late Antique West"My project is an interdisciplinary investigation looking into the many meanings of the term "Gospel" in Latin Christianity during Late Antiquity. This enormously important term refers to a wide range of related concepts including the Gospel texts, the manuscripts which house them, their authors, and the summation of their message and teaching. I approach this question through textual, codicological, and visual analyses, seeking to define the underlying categories of thought.

Pavlos, Panagiotis. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas, University of Oslo.

"The Concept of Aptitude (Ἐπιτηδειότης) in Late Antique and Early Christian Thought"
My dissertation studies a rather neglected subject in late ancient thought, that of ἐπιτηδειότης, rendered with ‘aptitude’. The concept is important for an understanding of developments in Late Antique philosophy and theology, principally with regards to the relation between being and divinity, both in the pagan and the Christian tradition. The topic is especially treated in the thought of Plotinus, Proclus, Dionysius the Areopagite and Maximus the Confessor, but the conceptual and philosophical history prior to them is also surveyed.

Pedersen, Susann Anett. Department of Historical Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

“Women of the landowning elite in late medieval Norway – in an exceptional economic position in Northern Europe?”

In my phd-project, I investigate women of the landowning elite’s economic opportunities in a Northern European context. Central to my study is how medieval law was received and followed in practice. I am especially interested in studying if and how women’s opportunities varied at different stages of their lives - as single women, wives and widows - and I am also very interested in the economic interactions between husband and wife.

Pettersen, Vilde. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

“Emma Goldman in Scandinavian context”

There is a long-standing affinity between anarchism and literature that is slightly explored. This relationship between anarchism and Scandinavian literature is even less investigated. The well-known Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkin (1842-2921) wrote in the Encyclopædia Britannica of 1920 that it would be impossible to give a brief description of the penetration, on the one hand, of the anarchist ideas into modern literature, and the influence, on the other hand, of modern literature to the development of anarchism. I am interested in studying the relation between anarchism and Scandinavian literature, by investigating how the Russian anarchist Emma Goldman (1828-1906) who worked and lived in the USA used plays by Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) to express and to develop her theory of anarchism and what we today would define as feminism. Goldman´s use and interpretation of Ibsen will be accessed through questions related to reproduction. This relationship will be approximated by looking at the reproduction of life and authority.

Pouls, Nick. Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion (AHKR), University of Bergen

"Habent sua fata libelli: From Manuscript Fragments to Intellectual Nordic Networks in the Long Twelfth Century"

The Nordic medieval mechanism of sharing knowledge in the long twelfth century was labour intensive, as one scribe or scholar would borrow a book, copy it by hand, and transport it to his own centre. By studying manuscript fragments that have come down to us, we can try to track this process and shed light on scholarly networks of Nordic institutions, such as cathedrals, abbeys, monasteries or parish churches.

Reinertsen, Ellen Aasland. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"Lost in reception? Paradox and potential in text and reception of parables with intersecting female characters."

In this historical-literary New Testament PhD-project, I will explore the much-neglected female characters in parables attributed to Jesus. I will do so by exegete parables in the synoptic gospels, the gospel of Thomas and the Shepherd of Hermas. I will also study how these intersecting female characters have been interpreted in the reception history. Are the parables with intersecting female characters lost in reception?

Rønning, Ole-Albert. Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo.

"The Judicial Oath in Medieval Norway: Compurgation, community and knowledge in the thirteenth Century."

Compurgation was the practice in which a defendant accused of a legal transgression could swear an oath, usually with a set number of oath helpers, to refute that charge. Looking at normative legal texts in relation to more limited narrative accounts and charters from actual

legal disputes, I want to use a study of compurgation to further our understanding of the relationship between public knowledge and conflict resolution in medieval society.

Røren, Anastasia K., Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Documenting the nation: Documentaries as discursive nation-building Tools."

The project Documenting the nation: Documentaries as discursive nation-building tools aims to investigate how the nation-building in Russia is visually documented, to investigate to which extent images and texts have been appropriated by different stakeholders (state, church, authorities, society and media) and interpreted in the documentaries.

Sarion, Roxana. University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway.

"Conversión de Píritu de indios cumanagotos, palenques y otros (1690): transcultural practices and subversive discourses in missionary colonial literature in Venezuela "

Matías Ruiz Blanco (1643-1705/1708?) elaborated a set of assessments over the indigenous system of beliefs, customs and languages, which can be analyzed as a chain of crossbreeding and hybridization strategies used by the Spanish missionaries during the evangelization process in the area. My research proposal seeks to create an integrated theoretical framework for the analysis of Conversion de Piritu (1690) in order to emphasize on the particular Ruiz Blanco´s methodological approach to the indigenous cultures, his treatment of difficult or unknown cultural phenomena and the discursive strategies used during the Christianization activities by taking the risk in generating subversive discourses against the evangelization policies that ruled in Spanish America, such as the canonical Third Provincial Council of Lima from 1582-83.

Sarkisyan, Nikolay. Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Ethnic tolerance policy and nation-building in today's Russia"

I am investigating nation-building and ethnic diversity management in contemporary Russia. My objectives are to be attained on three levels of analysis – macro, mezzo and micro – in three separate articles. The macro-level explores the historical trajectory of the Soviet ethnic diversity management to the current Russian system; the mezzo-level covers Kremlin’s ethnic tolerance policy per se; the micro-level focuses upon bureaucratic governing routines and how they shape the policy.

Schøning, Eli-Anita Øivand, UiT - The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy of Fine Arts.

Seljeseth, Ida. Department of linguistics ans Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

"Clear Language and Citizenzhip "

The main goal for this project is to develop a method for clear language work, based on classic and modern rhetorical insights into language, text and communication. The project will include an exploration of the term clear language - both how it is used in Norway today, and in light of rhetoric, sosial semiotic and pragmatic theory

Shah, Farhan. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"Islam reconstructed. God, dynamism and khalifa. Muhammad Iqbal`s philosophical ideas and their implications."

In my doctoral project, I propose to analyse the Muslim philosopher Muhammad Iqbal’s reconstructed concept of Islam, related especially to his philosophical reflections on Khalifa as God’s co-worker and their (possible) implications. In addition to analysing and examining Iqbal`s ideas, this PhD dissertation seeks to delve into intra-Islamic and interreligious discourse on human dignity, human rights and ecological consciousness.

Sjelmo, Marit. The Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

"A literary land survey: travel narratives from Norway 1814-1854"

The decades 1814–1854 in Norwegian literary history are characterized by a mode of literary mapping closely connected to scientists’ and land surveyors’ exploration of the Norwegian geography in the same period. This project examines how the Norwegian geography was discovered, explored and constructed textually in travel narratives from 1814 to 1854.

Skarpnes, Steinar. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

"Hezekiah - The Making of a Hero in Judean Memory"

The project seeks to interpret reasons behind the significant developments in the descriptions of the account on King Hezekiah in Chronicles to the one in Kings. By using the theoretical approach of memory studies, I hope to find perspectives and explanations as to how the figure of Hezekiah developed into such an exemplary leader figure as the centuries passed.

Smelova, Natalia. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"The Daily Worship in the Syriac Setting: Melkite Liturgical Psalters between Palestine and Central Asia"

I am researching the phenomenon of the Liturgical Psalter, a service book which combines Biblical texts as a core with non-Biblical liturgical appendix. I aim to explore, how the local practice of worship, presumably in Palestine and Antioch during the 9th-10th centuries, was reflected in this book, how the Biblical texts shaped the daily worship in Syriac-speaking communities, and how worshippers adopted and adapted the Psalter for their needs.

Solberg, Ragnhild Strøm. Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen

“Machine Vision in Games”

I examine use and representation of machine vision technology in digital games. Machine vision is understood as registration, analysis and representation of visual information by machines. Our thoughts, ideas, wishes, hopes, and fears tied to new vision technologies are mirrored in fictional worlds, so analyzing how these games portray machine vision gives a closer look at historical and current cultural imaginations of this technology.

Staxrud, Helge Asbjørn. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

“Sermon and superstition”

I am part of the project “The ambiguous memory of Nordic Protestantism (MEMORY)”. Making use of memory theory and theories of intersectionality I will analyze sermons from late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. I am interested in the relations between theological motives and the rhetoric aimed at social and political issues. Particularly rhetoric aimed at practitioners of magic and sorcery, and other enemies of the church to be found in the local communities.

Stiles-Ocran, David. Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"Constructing a Heterotopic Christian Social Practice and Welfare in Post-Independent Ghana"

The study seeks to find ways to create authentic space (s) or heterotopias for the restoration of human dignity, well-being, and equality for the “otherness” or the marginalized in societies in Ghana and Africa at large.

Strømmen, Tor Ivar. Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bergen.

"The theoretical basis for Norwegian Naval Operations"

I am to develop a theoretical framework for Norwegian naval operations. While theories like Mahan and Corbett’s do appear and are accepted as general theories, they remain so only from a great power and open sea perspective. Thus, Mahan and Corbett’s theories—and other sea power theories—do not properly cover the role of small navies in general and the Norwegian navy in particular.

Sture, Gunn Inger. Department of Foreign Languages, University of Bergen.

"Marcel Proust - metaphors of time, memory and ageing"

In my dissertation, I examine metaphors of time, memory and ageing in Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu in order to explore what they can tell us about the ageing self in Proust’s conception of it. Combining conceptual metaphor theory and Paul Ricœur’s tensional metaphor theory, I will analyse “Le Bal de têtes” – the final episode of la Recherche.

Sætre, Per Kristian Hovden. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

“Solomon Between the Lines. Meanings Made by the Memories of Solomon in the Gospel of Matthew.”

The project investigates how diverse first century traditions connected to Israel’s king Solomon may have informed the first readers of the Gospel of Matthew and influenced their interpretation of the text and their image of Jesus.

Thöne, Johanna-PaulineDepartment of Musicology, University of Oslo.

"‘Papal’ Polyphony between the Great Western Schism and the Council of Basle (1378–1449)"

My project investigates polyphony associated with the papacy between the Great Western Schism and the Council of Basle. To delineate its performance contexts and audiences, I will conduct selective case studies exploring how the music engaged with current events. Central questions are: what inspired the musical poems and who could understand them? How and with what effect were they set into music? How, when, and why circulated the compositions in society?

Tutty, Paula. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

"The Monks of the Nag Hammadi Codices: Contextualising a Fourth Century Monastic Community"
Amongst the cartonnage material of the Nag Hammadi Codices were discovered a group of letters belonging to a community of fourth century monks. The main objective of my research is to contextualise this community in order answer important questions regarding our present understanding of the monastic manuscript culture of the period and the production of surviving literary texts.

Tøssebro, Henriette. Faculty of Law, University of Oslo.

“Omgjøring av forvaltningsvedtak”

Når et forvaltningsorgan endrer eller opphever et enkeltvedtak, vil man i juridisk sammenheng ofte tale om "omgjøring". Dersom omgjøringen ikke er foranlediget av en rettidig klage, følger vilkårene for omgjøring i sin mest generelle form av forvaltningsloven § 35. Mitt avhandlingsprosjekt tar for seg omgjøringsreglenes teoretiske så vel som praktiske virkefelt. Blant annet vil betydningen av nye faktiske forhold, borgerens innrettelsesgrad og skyld bli tatt til vurdering.

In Norwegian law, "omgjøring" (reversal) denotes the situation when an administrative body alter or revoke an administrative decision. If the reversal has not been prompted by a timely appeal, the decision may still be subject to review if, inter alia, the first decision is invalid, if it has not reached the addressee, or in the alternative, if the change does not detriment the person in which the decision initially favours. My doctoral project involves an analysis on

- the rules on reversal, including the impact of new facts, foreseeability and the citizen's guilt

- the administration's competences and/or duties to reverse a former decision

- the legal consequences and retroactive effect of the reversal

Vikan, Cornelia. Faculty of Humanities, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. 

"Military power and ethics in the grey area of war - Afghanistan. A critical ethical-philosophical analysis of the core values of the Norwegian Armed Forces: Respect, Responsibility and Courage."

The project is a critical ethical-philosophical analysis of the core values of the Norwegian Armed Forces: respect, responsibility and courage, and aims to contribute to the discussion about ethics in war along with Just War thinking. The core values are essential in Norwegian military ethics, but it is not clear what they mean in a modern war context with a multitude of moral stakes. Focus – ISAF in Afghanistan.

Woker, Hilde Faculty of Law, University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway.

"The interaction between law, science and technology within the law of the sea" The law of the sea is destined to be troubled by interactions between law, science and technology. It is, after all, a legal convention regulating the physical and technical use of the oceans and their resources. This forces lawyers and Judges to delve into scientific questions, which they are not qualified to do. My thesis aims to provide an analysis on the philosophical interaction between law, science and technology, and what this means for international

Zakariassen, Kari. The Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo.

""My People Consult Their Tree…" Human-Divine Interaction in Arboreal Spaces in the Ancient Levant"

My PhD project "Trees of Knowledge" is within the field of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament studies. I am interested in trees that are related to knowledge and can be interpreted as oracle trees. In addition to examination of texts from the Hebrew Bible, I will investigate comparative textual material and iconographic material from the ancient Near East.

Zimeri, Sead. Department of Philosophy, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway.

“Between Authority and Autonomy”

My doctoral project is about the relationship between law and morality. I argue that law is not simply a source-based set of rules but is a moral phenomenon. More concretely I focus on two questions: 1) what is the nature of law and how does it relate to morality? 2) Since law is a moral phenomenon how do we then explain unjust laws (are they anomalies or no laws at all) and ought we to comply with them?

Aarflot, Christine Henriksen. MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo.

“God (in) Acts: A Narrative Analysis of the Characterization of God through Actions and Their Functions in the “Acts of the Apostles””

Project Description: Who is God? Like most New Testament texts, Acts offers few explicit statements about ”the God of the fathers”. Instead, God´s character is revealed mainly through God´s actions. These actions are, moreover, fundamental to the development of the believers´ mission.

Through a narrative analysis, this project seeks to delve deeper into the story of Acts, and to develop an understanding of how one of the church’s canonical texts portrays God.