Dr. Karsten Friis is a Research Professor at The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. His research area is security and defence policy in Europe, with an emphasis on NATO, the Nordic region, the Arctic, and transatlantic relations. He is a political scientist with a PhD from the University of Groningen, a Cand.polit. from the University of Oslo and an MSc from the London School of Economics. Friis has been associated with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) since 2007. Before that, he was a political adviser to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mission to Serbia (2004 to 2007), the OSCE in Montenegro (2001) and in Kosovo (1999). In addition, Friis has worked for several years in the Norwegian Armed Forces and served at NATO/The Kosovo Force (KFOR) in Kosovo. He also frequently comments on public discourse — not least in relation to Russia’s war against Ukraine. His latest publications include: ‘The defence of northern Europe: new opportunities, significant challenges‘, ‘Reviving Nordic Security and Defense Cooperation‘, ‘Even as war continues, NATO should open the door to defense integration with Ukraine‘ and ‘Rethink territory: How Ukraine can redefine victory‘.
Where do you see the most exciting research/debates happening in your field?
The debates related to the dramatic changes in the world, in terms of security and powershifts, i.e. the empirical debates are by far the most interesting. The theoretical debates struggle to keep pace, which is not strange given the dynamics in the world. So, questions related to global governance, new alternative structures (from the “shadow fleet” to BRICS), war and security (DPRK soldiers in Europe), new threats and technology, – all these topics challenge our traditional perspectives on world politics.
How has the way you understand the world changed over time, and what (or who) prompted the most significant shifts in your thinking?
