RDV: Navigating Queerphobia and Anti-Gender Narratives in a Politicized World
2025-01-31 12:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Oslo)
NEW DATE: 31 Jan, 12 noon

Queerphobia has become an issue of political contestation across the world. Transnational groups and governments, including those in Western countries influenced by leaders like Trump, mobilize against LGBTQ+ rights using rhetoric that claims gender non-conformity would somehow undermine the family and corrupt children. Queer identities and practices are, therefore, increasingly subject to (re)criminalisation and political hostility. Queer activists have to develop strategies and adapt to complex political landscapes. How do queer activists maneuver “anti-gender” narratives that seek to erase their existence, while curtailing their socio-political participation? What strategies do queer activists and allies adopt and to what extent are they successful?

About the speakers

Ayo Sogunro is a lawyer, scholar-activist, and writer known for his unwavering commitment to advancing LGBTIQ+ rights and democratic freedoms across Africa. He has over fifteen years of experience spanning legal practice, academic research, and public advocacy. He is currently a Research Scholar at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University and additionally consults as a social entrepreneur and human rights worker. Sogunro leverages his skills as a lawyer and writer for the benefit of governmental and non-governmental organisations. He is known for his work in social advocacy and for the protection of civil rights and the rights of sexual minorities in Nigeria. Sogunro was listed as one of the “100 Most Influential Nigerians” in 2017.

Matthew Gichohi is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Chr. Michelsen Insititute, University of Bergen. Dr. Gichohi is a political scientist focusing on democratization and identity politics with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Gichohi’s research studies how processes of democratization are affected by social identities and the norms that surround them. For example, his work considers how ethnic, and gender identities are created, practiced and reinforced to affect political participation and representation.

Erwin Navarro is the Managing Director of Skeiv Verden Vest, an organisation that supports LGBTQIA+ people with minority backgrounds. He is involved in organising Pride Week in Bergen and has good contact with the queer community at the school. He moved to Norway 13 years ago to complete his master’s degree in Tromsø on integration policy for minorities. Navarro moved to Bergen and has been working for Skeiv Verden Vest since 2021.

Liv Tønnessen is a political scientist researching gender and politics in the Middle East and Northern Africa. She has a PhD in comparative politics from the University of Bergen. Dr. Tønnessen has a track record from the Middle East and Northern Africa with long term stays in Sudan, Lebanon and Syria. She has specialized in Sudanese politics for two decades. Dr. Tønnessen is currently co-Director of the CMI-University of Bergen Centre on Law and Social Transformation together with Siri Gloppen.

How to participate: At Jekteviksbakken 31 or via this Zoom link: https://uib.zoom.us/j/69450748377?pwd=[REDACTED]

If the Zoom application is new to you, we recommend that you press the link well before the events to download the program. You may leave and rejoin the meeting at any time.

The webinar is part of the RDV-webinar series – a collaboration between DIPA (UiB) and LawTransform (UiB).

Barnevernfrokost: AI-basert plattform for trening i samtaleferdigheter
2025-02-28 09:00 - 09:45
Velkommen til Barnevernfrokost, fredag 28 februar kl. 9:00 med Gunn Astrid Baugerud
Bli med på Barnevernfrokost, der Prof. Gunn Astrid Baugerud diskuterer AI-basert metode for opplæring i beste praksis-samtaler med barn.
En grunnleggende utfordring i arbeidet med barn utsatt for omsorgssvikt, vold og overgrep er å samtale med dem om deres opplevelser. Ikke bare er barn ofte tilbakeholdne med å fortelle, men de som snakker med dem, følger ofte ikke beste praksis-retningslinjer. Tidligere forsøk på å forbedre samtale– og avhørsferdigheter har i stor grad vært basert på tradisjonell undervisningsmetodikk, med begrenset effekt. Denne presentasjonen introduserer en innovativ AI-basert metode for opplæring i beste praksis-samtaler med barn. Metoden er utviklet for fagpersoner i barnevern, politi, skole, barnehage og helsevesen. AI-plattformen gir brukerne mulighet til å trene samtaleferdigheter i sanntid med en dynamisk avatar og motta individualisert tilbakemelding på sine ferdigheter.
Gunn Astrid Baugerud er professor i psykologi og barnevern ved Institutt for Sosialfag, OsloMet. Hun har en ph.d. i kognitiv utviklingspsykologi og leder en forskningsgruppe som utviklet en AI-basert avatar for opplæring av fagfolk, anerkjent som banebrytende av Norges forskningsråd i 2020. Baugerud mottok et Fulbright-stipend for dette arbeidet, som hun videreførte ved University of California, Irvine, i samarbeid med professor Jodi Quas. Hun har publisert en rekke artikler om AI-basert samtaletrening.
Moderator: Dr. Audun Løvlie

Join us for the Barnevernfrokost, on Friday, February 28 at 9:00 AM, where Prof. Gunn Astrid Baugerud will discuss an AI-based method for training in best-practice conversations with children.
A fundamental challenge in working with children exposed to neglect, violence, and abuse is talking to them about their experiences. Not only are children often reluctant to share, but those who speak with them frequently do not follow best-practice guidelines. Previous attempts to improve conversation and interview skills have largely relied on traditional teaching methods, with limited effect. This presentation introduces an innovative AI-based method for training in best-practice conversations with children. The method is designed for professionals in child welfare, law enforcement, schools, kindergartens, and healthcare. The AI platform allows users to practice conversation skills in real time with a dynamic avatar and receive individualized feedback on their performance.
Gunn Astrid Baugerud is a professor of psychology and child welfare at the Department of Social Work, OsloMet. She holds a Ph.D. in cognitive developmental psychology and leads a research group that developed an AI-based avatar for training professionals, recognized as groundbreaking by the Research Council of Norway in 2020. Baugerud received a Fulbright scholarship for this work, which she continued at the University of California, Irvine, in collaboration with Professor Jodi Quas. She has published numerous articles on AI-based conversation training.
Moderator: Dr. Audun Løvlie

Hvordan delta på Barnevernfrokost
For å delta på webinaret klikker du lenken under og følger instruksjonene. Vi anbefaler å laste ned Zoom-applikasjonen på forhånd.
Zoom-link: https://uib.zoom.us/j/68167074702?pwd=[REDACTED]
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Barnevernfrokost er en åpen webinar-serie om barnevern og barns rettigheter. Serien arrangeres av Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism (UiB) i samarbeid med Bergen kommune – Etat for barn og familie og Centre on Law and Social Transformation (UiB).

Barnevernfrokost: Prosesser ved godkjenning og opphør av godkjenning av barneverninstitusjoner. En komparativ nordisk studie
2025-04-04 09:00 - 09:45
Velkommen til Barnevernfrokost, fredag 4 april kl. 9:00 med Elisabeth Backe-Hansen.
Bli med på Barnevernfrokost, der Dr. Elisabeth Backe-Hansen diskuterer lisensiering av barnevernsinstitusjoner på tvers av nordiske land.
Presentasjonen bygger på to artikler om henholdsvis lisensiering (Nordic Welfare Research, 2022) og tilbaketrening av lisensiering (Child and Family Social Work, 2024) av barneverninstitusjoner i Danmark, Finland, Norge og Sverige.
Temaet har vært svært lite utforsket. Hun og forskergruppa hennes var spesielt interessert i å analysere forskjeller og likheter mellom de nordiske landene, fordi landene ellers har relativt like velferdsordninger på mange måter. Forskergruppa besto av deltakere fra alle fire land, og de samlet inn data fra hver våre land i to omganger. Analysene i begge artikler bygger på begreper fra teorier om regulering og overvåking, ut fra at lisensiering er et offentlig instrument som brukes til å kontrollere velferdstjenester.
I presentasjonen vil hun utdype funnene, og samtidig se om det går an å se noen sammenhenger mellom ulikhetene i prosessene knyttet til lisensiering, prosesser for videre oppfølging og fratakelse av godkjenning.
Elisabeth Becke-Hansen er psykolog og forsker emerita ved NOVA, OsloMet. Som forsker har hun hele tiden arbeidet med spørsmål knyttet til barnevern, med spesielt fokus på beslutningsprosesser ved omsorgsovertakelse, fosterhjem og institusjoner, samt problemstillinger knyttet til etikk og forskning med barn og barn og unges medvirkning. Hennes nyeste publikasjoner er som medforfatter på en artikkel om samvær i fosterhjem, og to kapitler om forskningsetikk i en ny bok om etikk i psykologisk praksis.
Moderator: Mathea Loen

Join us for the Barnevernfrokost, on Friday, 4 April at 9:00 AM, where Dr. Elisabeth Backe-Hansen will discuss on licensing of child welfare institutions across Nordic countries (in Norwegian).
The presentation is based on two articles on licensing (Nordic Welfare Research, 2022) and the retraining of licensing (Child and Family Social Work, 2024) of child welfare institutions in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
The topic has been underexplored. Elisabeth and her research group were particularly interested in analyzing differences and similarities between the Nordic countries, because the countries have relatively similar welfare systems in many ways. The research group consisted of participants from all four countries, and they collected data from each of the countries in two rounds. The analyses in both articles are based on concepts from theories of regulation and monitoring, based on the assumption that licensing is a public instrument used to control welfare services.
In the presentation, she will elaborate on the findings, and at the same time see if it is possible to see any connections between the differences in the processes related to licensing, processes for further follow-up and withdrawal of approval.
Elisabeth Becke-Hansen is a psychologist and researcher emerita at NOVA, OsloMet. As a researcher, she has continuously worked on issues related to child welfare, focusing on decision-making process in care order, foster homes and institutions, as well as issues on ethics and research with children and the participation of children and youth. Her most recent publications are as co-author of an article on visitation in foster homes, and two book chapters on research ethics in a new book on ethics in psychological practice.
Moderator: Mathea Loen

Hvordan delta på Barnevernfrokost
For å delta på webinaret klikker du lenken under og følger instruksjonene. Vi anbefaler å laste ned Zoom-applikasjonen på forhånd.
Zoom-link: https://uib.zoom.us/j/62451018625?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 624 5101 8625
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Barnevernfrokost er en åpen webinar-serie om barnevern og barns rettigheter. Serien arrangeres av Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism (UiB) i samarbeid med Bergen kommune – Etat for barn og familie og Centre on Law and Social Transformation (UiB).
