Principal investigator

Prof. Marit Skivenes

Marit Skivenes is a professor at the Department of Government and the director of Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism, University of Bergen. Skivenes heads the commission for the Official Norwegian Report on improved quality and legal protection in child protection (2021-2023). She is recognised as a leading expert in the field of child protection systems, with numerous publications in well-regarded journals. She is also a popular lecturer and a widely used expert by the media.

Skivenes completed her PhD in Political Science at the University of Bergen in 2002. Post PhD, she worked two years as a researcher at the research institute “Fafo” in Oslo. Later she spent three years at the Centre for Child Welfare at the Faculty of Psychology (UiB), as associate professor and head of the Centre. She then continued to work three years at the Department of Social Education at Bergen University College, first as an associate professor and later as a professor.

In 2016, Skivenes received the prestigious Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council to conduct ground-breaking research on discretionary decision-making. Marit Skivenes and Katrin Kriz was awarded the ISW prize for best article published in 2015 with the article “Challenges for marginalized minority parents in different welfare systems: Child welfare workers’ perspectives“.

Prof. Skivenes giving a short presentation on the Norwegian child welfare system (in Norwegian)

What are you working on at the moment?

We just completed a possible over-ambitious project with an International Handbook on Child Protection Systems with contributors from over 50 countries! Madness, but thanks to fantastic co-editors, Jill Berrick and Neil Gilbert, it has been super-fun. We are also in the midst of analysing over 350 judgments form eight countries, which showing some very promising results.

Where are you best able to think?

Many places. I like variation, and I have some favorite cafes in which I can have coffee and work very concentrated. But, my office at the university is a good spot and likewise my workspace at home – although, due to the Covid-19 its been too much home office.

What does your workspace look like?

Right now, I am working from home, switching between my desk and my youngest´s home-schooling desk. My workplace often is a big mess. Always too many things going on, and I do not put things back in its place (which is hard to admit, as I would really like to be an orderly person).

How does a typical day at work look like for you?

In these times, up early, get some hours work before my boys are up. My youngest still have 50% home-schooling, so depending on which day it is: either a) after the 7^th grader is out of the door, we start studying and after a short time its basket and gardening. Or, b) a full day of writing and reading, and the occasional zoom with my team (who I miss sooooo much).

 What is the best thing about your job?

Supervising students and teaching classes, working with smart and energetic research colleagues, developing new ideas and finding solutions to problems.

… and the worst?

Ha, ha, I will not go there.

Is there a specific book within your field you’d recommend?

Yes, Communicative Action by Jürgen Habermas. For me, that was a turning point in my research career.

If you had to choose a different field, what would it be?

Hmm, difficult – clearly there are many very interesting jobs. Maybe an investigative journalist, or an Ombudsman for Children, or lead the charity work of a really, really wealthy organization.

Is there a TV-show you are binging?

Yes, our favorite is Ted Lasso. Super-fun, warm and a show for the whole family. We all love it!!

Which podcast are you listening to right now and why?

Well, here I am in between. The Daily from New York times is good. “Politisk kvarter” keeps me oriented on the Norwegian stuff, together with Aftenpodden. And, not as often as before, I listen to Real Time with Bill Maher, WTF with Marc Maron and Here is the Thing with Alec Baldwin.

Who would you take with you on a desert island?

Actually, some years back I did end up at a deserted island, at Cuba – we were diving and were taken to an Island. Beautiful, and totally empty – not a single person – only rows of empty beach beds. Very strange, we were told that this place was only allowed for cruise boat tourists (and the occasional diver boat as us that sneaked in).

But, returning to the question, for a deserted island I would be selfish and bring all my boys, including the cats. Make it a family happening, and an opportunity for us all to build character.

Your friend sets you up on a date with someone famous – who do you hope turns up?

Clearly, there are many: I used to say that number one would be Ricky Gervais, as he is extremely funny and has an exceptional ability to observe people’s peculiarities. But, after being at his show in Spectrum, Oslo, which was not smart and funny, he has been pushed down on the list.

Now, I would hope for Trevor Noah, the host of the Daily Show – enormously funny and smart, and then its Jerry Seinfeld of course, and John Oliver, and Samantha Bee, and John Stewart and, not to forget my longtime favorite Stephen Colbert.

Finally: What’s on your nightstand?

Just one book, in Norwegian, Abid Raja’s “Min Skyld” (ENG: “My Fault”). Raja is a well-known politician in Norway, and also the Minister of Culture and Equality (2021), and in this book he describes how he was raised in a family that neglected his congenital injury, parents that were not expressing love and care, and a father that beat him regularly. It was a childhood of maltreatment and much misery, and at age 15 the child protection system got involved. It is brave to write this book, and huge kudos to Raja for sharing his life experiences and with the hope that increased knowledge about childhood experiences will make all people aware that child abuse is not acceptable.

Updated Summer 2021