Inger Skjelsbæk is a psychologist and Professor at the University of Oslo where she is affiliated with the Center for Gender Research and the Center for Research on Extremism.   She is also Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

Skjelsbæk’s research has focused on gender, political violence, norm development, nation branding, transitional justice, gender and armed forces, the WPS agenda and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

She is the author of The Political Psychology of War Rape | Studies from Bosnia and Herzego and Backlash Against the Women, Peace and Security Agenda: Contesting Gender Norms | Springer Nature Link.

Having worked on sensitive issues she has also written about researchers’ well-being Studying conflict-related sexual violence: What does it mean for researchers’ well-being? - Michele Leiby, Inger Skjelsbæk, Kim Thuy Seelinger, 2025

She currently leads an ERC Consolidator Grant project focusing on children born of war entitled EuroWARCHILD (2021 – 2026). The project explores the experiences and needs of three generations of children born of war in Europe - children framed as the enemy, as innocent individuals or security threats.   The focus is on Norway, Denmark, Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

She has been guest scholar at UC Berkeley (Human Rights Center) and at LSE (Centre for Women, Peace and Security).   Skjelsbæk is a member of The Ethical Council for the Defence Sector in Norway, and she is a deputy member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Photographer: John Erik Riley