RDV: Lost in Implementation: Lawless Intimacy & Legal Inconsistencies in Malaysian Islamic Law
2024-11-07 14:15 - 15:30 (Europe/Oslo)
In Muslim-majority Malaysia, an extensive Islamic bureaucracy exerts significant force in determining where and with whom Muslims can be intimate, and what constitutes “halal” (lawful) intimacy. This is achieved through Islamic criminal laws that enable state surveillance and criminalization of extra- or pre-marital sexual intimacy, and through Islamic family laws that govern the rules of marriage.
In this talk, Nurul Huda Mohd. Razif, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bergen, will demonstrate that state attempts to gatekeep access to “halal” intimacy may not be as airtight as it seems due to legal ambiguities and loopholes in Islamic law. To illustrate this, Nurul will draw on two recent debates and developments in Islamic family law: the first concerns a scandalous union between a 41-year-old polygamous man with his (third) 11-year-old wife; and the second addresses the rising incidence of eloped polygamous marriages contracted across the border in Southern Thailand. These issues, as the author suggests, reveal inherent inconsistencies in Islamic family law that perpetuate unregulated marital practices such as child marriage and polygamy.
About the speaker
Nurul Huda Mohd. Razif is a social anthropologist and Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Bergen. She studied Anthropology and French at the University of Western Australia and Sciences Po Paris, before receiving her PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge in 2018. She has held research fellowships at Harvard Law School and centers for Southeast Asian Studies in Leiden, Paris, and Kyoto. She works primarily on the intersection of Islam, intimacy, and the state in the Malay world and Muslim Southeast Asia.
How to participate: At Jekteviksbakken 31 or via Zoom
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: Arbeidsmiljø og ledelse blant ansatte i barnevernet.
2024-11-08 09:00 - 09:45
Bli med på Barnevernfrokost, der Dr. Samuel Olaniyan diskuterer arbeidsmiljøet for barnevernsansatte.
Norsk barnevern er stadig under press både nasjonalt og internasjonalt etter flere ugunstige dommer i den Europeiske menneskerettighetsdomstolen (EMD) og nasjonale tilsyn som avdekket alvorlige problemer i systemet. Disse utfordringene deles også av flertallet av barnevernet i de vestlige samfunn. Selv om den utfordrende situasjonen for barnevernsansatte har fått mer fokus de siste årene, er det begrenset kunnskap om hvordan barnevernsledere opplever sin arbeidssituasjon, og hvilken rolle dette kan spille i arbeidsmiljøet. Funn fra lederlitteratur viser at lederen er en nøkkelfigur når man diskuterer ansattes prestasjoner og trivsel. Dette er enda større grunn til å sette søkelys på å hjelpe disse lederne med å møte sine daglige utfordringer.
Dr. Samuel Olaniyan er i dag førsteamanuensis i psykologi ved Høgskolen i Innlandet. Han forsker hovedsakelig på arbeidsmiljø og ledelse. Han har publisert flere artikler om arbeidsmiljø blant ansatte i barnevernet.
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Join us at Barnevernfrokost where Dr. Samuel Olaniyan will discuss the working environment for childcare workers.
Norwegian child protection is constantly under pressure both nationally and internationally following several unfavorable judgments in the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and national inspections that revealed serious problems in the system. These challenges are also shared by the majority of child welfare workers in Western societies. Although the challenging situation for child welfare employees has received more focus in recent years, there is limited knowledge about how child welfare managers experience their working situation, and what role this may play in the working environment. Findings from management literature show that the manager is a key figure when discussing employee performance and well-being. This is even more reason to focus on helping these leaders meet their daily challenges.
Dr. Samuel Olaniyan is currently an associate professor in psychology at Høgskolen i Innlandet. He primarily researches the working environment and management. He has published several articles on the working environment among employees in child protection.
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/65331178904?pwd=[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).

RDV-Seminar: Desegregation of education – Czech Republic
2024-12-06 08:30 - 09:45
This lecture will focus on the desegregation of education in the Czech Republic, particularly with regard to how the Office of the Ombudsman has been involved in addressing this human rights issue. Segregation in education is a complex problem, which includes the placing of Romani children in special schools and institutions, but also education in mainstream primary schools with high proportions of Romani children. Both areas are closely related to living in social exclusion and, consequently, to segregation in housing. We will focus on the circumstances of the development of segregation in education, its consequences, but also possible solutions or examples of good practice. We will introduce the audience to Czech developments from the 1990s to the present.

The speaker at this event will be Jakub Konečný and Marek Kosík from The Public Defender of Rights (Ombudsman) of the Czech Republic

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Lucie Duucarre, and the panel discussants will be Associate Professor Kari Hagatun and Professor Jan Skrobanek.

About the speakers

Lucie Ducarre recently defended her PhD thesis titled, “The Right to Education of Autistic Children in International and European Law,” at the Faculty of Law (UiB). Dr. Ducarre has studied law and international relations in France and in the UK and holds a master’s in law with specialization in Children Rights. Before completing her PhD, she worked as a legal consultant and writer.

Kari Hagatun is an Associate Professor at the Department of Education (UiB). Prof. Hagatun received her PhD from the University of Bergen in 2021 and is specifically interested in Roma children’s educational experiences in Norway. She additionally has a master’s degree in pedagogy (UiB), as well as education and extensive experience as a general teacher.

Jakub Konečný is the Head of Research Section at the Office of the Public Defender of Rights in the Czech Republic.

Marek Kosík is an International Relations Office at the Office of the Public Defender of Rights in the Czech Republic.

Jan Skrobanek is a Professor at the Department of Sociology (UiB). Prof. Skrobanek’s research interests include ethnic identity, discrimination and ethnicization, agency, mobility and/or employment as well as developments of transition patterns of vulnerable youth in a global perspective.

How to participate: At Jekteviksbakken 31 or via this Zoom link: https://uib.zoom.us/j/63081101498?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: Betydning av sosial ulikhet for barn og familiers kontakt med barnevernet i Norge
2024-12-13 09:00 - 09:45
Bli med på Barnevernfrokost, der Prof. Bente Heggem Kojan og Mary Elizabeth Hemler diskuterer barnevern og sosioøkonomisk ulikhet.
Betydning av sosial ulikhet for barn og familiers kontakt med barnevernet i Norge
Barn med tilhørighet i familier med lav sosioøkonomisk status (SØS) er sterkt overrepresenterte i barnevernssystemer verden rundt, også i Norge. I denne presentasjonen vil innlederne fortelle om prosjektet «Barnevern og sosioøkonomisk ulikhet», med vekt på hva registerdata kan fortelle oss om sosial ulikhet i barnevernet.
Følgende problemstillinger vil bli belyst:

Hvilke mønstre er det mellom barnas sosioøkonomiske tilhørighet og innhold i meldinger som kommer til barnevernet?
Hvordan henger SØS, innvandrerbakgrunn og familietype sammen med barns sannsynlighet for å bli meldt til barnevernet, motta hjelpetiltak eller bli plassert utenfor hjemmet?

Mary Elizabeth (MB) Hemler er stipendiat ved Institutt for sosialt arbeid, NTNU. Hun har bodd i Norge siden 2019, er opprinnelig fra USA og har en mastergrad i sosialt arbeid fra USA, samt en mastergrad i nevrovitenskap fra NTNU. Hun har også praksiserfaring som sosialarbeider med hjemløse ungdommer i Los Angeles, hvor hun så hvordan en stor andel barnevernsbarn ble hjemløse da de ble 18 år. Slik ble også en interesse for sosial ulikhet og barnevern vekket.
Bente Heggem Kojan er professor ved samme sted, og har en doktorgrad i sosialt arbeid (NTNU) som omhandler sosial klasse og barnevern. Hun har praksiserfaring fra ulike velferdstjenester med utsatte barn og unge og har undervist samt forsket på tematikken barnevern og ulikhet over flere år. Hun ledet forskningsprosjektet «Barnevern og sosioøkonomisk ulikhet», som er utgangspunktet for denne barnevernsfrokosten. Hun er også aktiv i det internasjonale forskernettverket CWIN (Child Welfare Inequalities).
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Join us for Barnevernfrokost where Prof. Bente Heggem Kojan and Mary Elizabeth Hemler discuss child welfare and socio-economic inequality.
Significance of social inequality for children and families’ contact with child protection in Norway
Children belonging to families with low socio-economic status (SES) are greatly overrepresented in child welfare systems around the world, including in Norway. In this presentation, the presenters will talk about the project “Child welfare and socio-economic inequality”, with an emphasis on what register data can tell us about social inequality in child welfare.
The following issues will be highlighted:

What patterns are there between the children’s socio-economic affiliation and the content of messages that come to child protection?
How do SES, immigrant background and family type relate to a child’s likelihood of being reported to child protection, receiving assistance or being placed outside the home?

Mary Elizabeth (MB) Hemler is a research fellow at the Department of Social Work, NTNU. She has lived in Norway since 2019, is originally from the USA and has a master’s degree in social work from the USA, as well as a master’s degree in neuroscience from NTNU. She also has practical experience as a social worker with homeless young people in Los Angeles, where she saw how a large proportion of child welfare children became homeless when they turned 18. In this way, an interest in social inequality and child protection was also awakened.
Bente Heggem Kojan is a professor at the same place and has a doctorate in social work (NTNU) which deals with social class and child protection. She has practical experience from various welfare services with vulnerable children and young people and has taught and researched the topic of child protection and inequality over several years. She led the research project “Child protection and socio-economic inequality”, which is the starting point for this seminar. She is also active in the international research network CWIN (Child Welfare Inequalities).
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/65169051810?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).

Health care providers as petty sovereigns? Migration control and access to welfare
2025-01-16 14:15 - 15:30
In this presentation, Marry-Anne Karlsen explores ambiguities in the Norwegian state’s response to irregular migration arising from the interaction and tension between welfare policy and entry control. Specifically, she investigates the role of discretionary decision-making in (re)producing or challenging state borders in the medical encounter. The ethnographic focus brings forth the multiple and dispersed, as well as negotiated quality, of the border in everyday practices and situations.
About the speaker
Marry-Anne Karlsen holds a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Bergen in 2015 and a major in human geography from the same place in 2006. Karlsen’s professional interests lie at the intersection of migration control and welfare policy, and in her PhD thesis Precarious Inclusion. Irregular migration, practices of care and state bordering in Norway, Karlsen explored, among other things, how the health system became increasingly involved in migration control.
How to participate: At Jekteviksbakken 31 or via this Zoom link: https://uib.zoom.us/j/62518326605?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).

RDV: Navigating Queerphobia and Anti-Gender Narratives in a Politicized World
2025-01-31 12:00 - 14:00
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).
