Research Interests
- Political and violent conflicts in Myanmar and Thailand
- Civil society movements and societal transformation in peacebuilding and democratization
- Religious and spiritual practices in politics and nation building
- Popular culture and art in resistance movements
- The politics of humanitarian aid and development schemes in violent conflicts
- The Rohingya crisis and community strategies in forced displacement settings
Background
Marte Nilsen is a Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). She is a Historian of Religions and holds a PhD from Lund University (Sweden). Her research focus is on political and violent conflicts in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Myanmar and Thailand, and on the Rohingya crisis.
In her current work, Nilsen investigates how opposition groups in Thailand and Myanmar use popular culture and art to challenge the legitimacy of the authoritarian state. The role of local cultures and religious and spiritual knowledge is of particular interest. In other projects, Nilsen conducts research on identity politics among Rohingya refugees and on the refugees' own humanitarian and political strategies.
Language skills
Fluent: Norwegian, English.
Intermediate: Thai, German.
Basic: Burmese, Chinese (Mandarin).
Education
2022: Thai Language, level 3 (1 year), SOAS, University of London.
2012: Dr.philos., History of Religions, Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, Lund University.
2012: Burmese language course (1 week intensive), SOAS University of London.
2006 Chinese language (KIN 1110-1120, 1 year), University of Oslo.
2005: Cand.philol., History of Religions, Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, University of Oslo.
2002: Cand.mag., History of Religions, Sociology, History, University of Oslo.
Positions of trust
2020 – present: Coordiator, PRIO's FIWON Network.
2017 – present: Coordiator, PRIO's Religion research group.
2017 – 2021: Coordinator, Research School on Peace and Conflict.
2006 – 2008: President, Attac Norway.
2005-2006: University board member, University of Oslo.
Dissemination
Podcasts
"Myanmar med Marte Nilsen" 198 land med Einar Tørnquist
"Aung San Suu Kyi og Myanmar" Historier som endret verden
"Coup in Myanmar seven months later” PRIO’s Peace in a Pod 54
"Myanmar et halvt år etter militærkuppet” Verden og vi NCA
“Kuppet i Myanmar” Utviklingspoddensialet
“Myanmar after the Coup” The Nordic Asia Podcast NIAS
“Coup in Myanmar: Protest, Art Technology” PRIO’s Peace in a Pod 25
"Art, Conflict and Land rights in Myanmar” PRIO’s Peace in a Pod 18
Television and Radio appearances (sample)
Myanmar Politics: Studio 2, NRK P2, 01.02.2022
Myanmar Politics: Dagsnytt 18, NRK2, 28.09.2021
Myanmar Politics: Studio 2, NRK P2, 01.02.2021
Thai Politics: Nyhetslunsj, NRK 06.05.2019
Thai Politics: TV2 Nyhetskanalen, 06.05.2019
Thai Politics: NRK Alltid Nyheter, 25.03.2019
Thai Politics: Urix på lørdag, NRK P2, 23.03.2019
Thai Politics: Studio 2, NRK P2, 06.03.2019
Myanmar Politics: Urix, NRK 2, 20.09.2017
Thai Politics: Ytring, NRK P2, 14.05.2017
Thai Politics: Norgesglasset, NRK P1, 13.10.2016
Thai Politics: Urix, NRK2, 12.10.2016
Thai Politics: Her og Nå, NRK P1, 12.08 2016
Thai Politics: Nyhetskanalen, 10pm. TV2 11.08.2016
Thai Politics: Nyhetsmorgen, NRK P2, 08.08.2016
Myanmar Politics: Urix, NRK2 15.02.2016
Thai Politics: Dagsrevyen, NRK1, 18.08.2015
Myanmar Politics: Urix NRK2, 15.03.2016.
Myanmar Politics: Nyhetsettermiddag NRK P2, 11.05.2015
Thai Politics: Norgesglasset NRK P1, 23.05.2014
Thai Politics: Dagsnytt 18 NRK2, 22.05.2014
Thai Politics: Nyhetsmorgen P2, 03.02.2014
Myanmar Politics: Urix NRK2, 14.11.2012
Thai Politics: Aktuelt NRK2, 19.05.2010
Thai Politics: Dagsnytt 18 NRK2, 18.05.2010
Thai Politics: Dagsnytt 18 NRK2, 19.05.2010