About

Lars Erik Berntzen is Associate Professor at Department of Government, University of Bergen (2024 -), and affiliated with the Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX), University of Oslo.

Berntzen's research deals with topics such as: 

• Affective polarization and its potential consequences for democracy and how citizens view and engage with one another (social segregation, intolerance, pro-violence).
• The emergence and growth of the anti-Islamic far right from the turn of the century and onwards; scale, causes and consequences. 
• Extreme right terrorism and adjacent phenomena such as school shootings with a particular emphasis on the July 22, 2011 case. 
• Consequences of conflict among political elites for citizens beliefs and preferences. 
• Peoples' attitudes to political violence and perpetrators of violence.

Education

2013-2018       PhD in Political and Social Science, Faculty of Political and Social Science, European University Institute, Italy

2013-2014       Master of Research (M.Res), Faculty of Political and Social Science, European University Institute, Italy

2009-2011       Master in Sociology, Faculty of Social Science, Department of Sociology, University of Bergen, Norway

Previous positions

2023-2024       Associate Professor at the Department of Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL)

2019-2023       Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Comparative Politics, University of Bergen (UiB) 

2017-2019       Researcher, Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX), University of Oslo (UiO)

Politikk og Røvere, social science podcast in collaboration with Jonas Bergan Dræge (Norwegian):

49 episodes, available where you listen to podcasts - https://soundcloud.com/user-121156373 

Newspaper Op-Eds and blog pieces:

Mer konflikt etter 22. juli - VG (14.07.2021).

Understanding the liberal roots of far-right activism - UiO blog Right Now! (11.11.2019).

Trusselen fra gutterommet – Bergens Tidende (22.11.2015). 

Høyreekstreme grupper og einstøinger. Hvorfor Sverige ikke er så spesielt – Aftenposten (10.11.2015).

Pegida marsjerer fortsatt gjennom Europa –  forskning.no (15.07.15).

Demokratiske rettigheter og diskriminering. Funn fra tre survey-eksperimenter – Vox Publica (26.06.15). 

Anti-Islamic Pegida groups have spread beyond their German heartlands – LSE European Politics and Policy (17.06.15).

How anti-Islamic Pegida spreads across Western Europe – EUI Times (07.04.2015)    

Var 22. juli egentlig en skolemassakre? – Morgenbladet (04.07.14). 

Anti-islam, høyreekstremisme og vold – NRK Ytring (20.06.14). 

De som vil redde oss – NRK Ytring (17.07.13).

Terrorhandlingenes fundament - Bergens Tidene (30.07.11), Stavanger Aftenblad (16.08.11).

 

Television, radio and podcast appearances (2019 - )

Mer konflikt etter 22. juli - NRK Nyhetsmorgen (10.08.2021).

Breivik avvist av ytre høyre - NRK Nyhetsmorgen (28.06.2021).

SIAN og ytringsfrihet - NRK Debatten, television interview (03.09.2020). 

The Far Right and Muslims - Conversation with Dr. Ismail Patel for UK ReOrient Podcast, The Journal of Critical Muslim Studies (2020).

Hva er det SIAN vil?  - Aftenposten Forklart, podcast interview (31.08.2020). 

Hvordan høyreekstreme går fra nettforum til angrep - Aftenposten Forklart, podcast interview (15.08.19).

Den høyreekstreme terroren og inspirasjonen - Aftenposten Forklart, podcast interview (21.03.19).

English Defence League og ytre høyre – Studio 2, NRK P2, radio interview (25.02.2019).

 

Newspaper interviews and references to research (2019 - )

A decade on, 'the hatred is still out there' but attacker's influence is seen as low” – CNN (23.07.2021).

Forskere har for første gang kartlagt støtten til 22. juli-terroristen. To miljø skilte seg ut – Aftenposten (06.07. 2021).

Forskere: Frp gjør det vanskeligere å være høyreradikal i Norge – Nettavisen (23.06.2021).

Breivik avvist av ytre høgre - forskning.no (29.06.2021).

Fryktet Breivik-kopier – slik lot høyreekstreme seg påvirke etter 22. juli – nrk.no (17.07.2021).

Breivik's massacre inspires squabbling far-right heirs a decade on – The National (17.07.2021).

Arven etter Behring Breivik – Stavanger Aftenblad (31.07.2021).

Spørsmålene Norge måtte ha svar på – Universitetet i Bergen Aktuelt (07.07.2021).

Verkar valkampen – eigentleg? Stavanger Aftenblad (18.08.2021).

Startet blodig terrorstafett – Dagbladet (20.07.2021).

Ulven og hans flokk, Dagbladet (19.07.2021).

Ekstremister misforstår ikke hva FrP står for, - Anne Bitsch (op-ed), Morgenbladet (11.07.2021).

Stopp splittelsen – stå sammen mot voldelig ekstremisme, - Sylvi Listhaug, Ketil Solvik-Olsen og Terje Søviknes (op-ed), Aftenposten (11.07.2021).

FrPs alternative historieskriving - Anne Bitsch (op-ed), Aftenposten (15.07.2021).

Ti år etter 22. juli: tida leger alle sår? -  Universitetet i Oslo.

Koraanin julkiset häpäisyt toistavat samaa kaavaa, joka usuttaa ihmiset toistensa kimppuun, arvioi norjalaistutkija - Helsingin Sanomat. (31.08.2020).  

Ytre høyre provoserer oftere på gata enn før - forskning.no (16.01.2020). 

Rasister, nynazister og anti-islamske nevnes ofte i samme åndedrag, men det er ulikheter - Vårt Land (04.08.2020).

Slik er gruppa som gjør folk rasende - Klar Tale (29.08.2020). 

Sian-dilemmaet vokser - Aftenposten (28.08.2020). 

Unge, hvite menn som dyrker vold, rasisme og konspirasjonsteorier – TV2.no (24.08.2019).

Forsker om høyreekstrem terror: – Er som å finne en nål i en høystakk - VG (16.03.19). 

Ekspert om samfunnsdebatten: – Vi er i stor grad dobbeltmoralske – NRK (21.03.19).  

SV varsler kamp mot muslimhat -Vårt land (25.03.19). 

Soloterrorister blir radikalisert ved å kommunisere med likesinnede på nett (Dagen,

12.08.19). 

– Det går ganske kaldt nedover ryggen - NRK (12.08.19). 

Åpen plattform hyller høyreekstrem terror: - Gir næring til hatet, sier forsker – Nettavisen (14.08.19).

«Gud, jeg håper han får et solid drapstall». Slik reagerte nettforumet under angrepet på moskéen - Aftenposten (14.08.19). 

Personer som «heiet» på Manshaus på nett oppga å være norske – Nettavisen (14.08.19). 

Terrorsiktede Philip Manshaus: - Veldig uvanlig - Dagbladet (20.08.19). 

Etterforsker om terrorsiktede Philip Manshaus hyllet Breivik på Instagram – Nettavisen (15.08.19).

 Hvite massedrapsmenn finner inspirasjon i hverandre: – Det er en «copycat»-tendens  -VG (15.08.19).  

Hemmelig-funksjonen endres i Facebooks kamp for å få kontroll over de lukkede gruppene – Aftenposten (15.08.19).

 

Academic article

• Bjånesøy, Lise Lund; Ivarsflaten, Elisabeth; Berntzen, Lars Erik Nese (2023). Public political tolerance of the far right in contemporary Western Europe. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik Nese; Kelsall, Haylee; Harteveld, Eelco (2023). Consequences of affective polarization: Avoidance, intolerance and support for violence in the United Kingdom and Norway. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik Nese; Bjørgo, Tore (2021). The Term ‘Lone Wolf’ and its Alternatives. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik Nese; Ravndal, Jacob Aasland (2021). Monster or Hero? Far-right Responses to Anders Behring Breivik and the July 22, 2011 Terrorist Attacks. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik (2020). How elite politicization of terror impacts sympathies for partisans: Radical right versus social democrats. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik; Weisskircher, Manès (2016). Anti-Islamic PEGIDA Beyond Germany: Explaining Differences in Mobilisation. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik; Sandberg, Sveinung (2014). Stories in action: the cultural influences of school shootings on the terrorist attacks in Norway. (external link)
• Sandberg, Sveinung; Oksanen, Atte; Berntzen, Lars Erik et al. (2014). Stories in action: the cultural influences of school shootings on the terrorist attacks in Norway. (external link)

Academic lecture

• Harteveld, Eelco; Berntzen, Lars Erik Nese; Kokkonen, Andrej et al. (2022). The (Alleged) Consequences of Affective Polarization: Individual-Level Evidence & a Survey Experiment in 9 Countries. (external link)

Popular scientific lecture

• Ivarsflaten, Elisabeth; Bjånesøy, Lise Lund; Berntzen, Lars Erik Nese (2021). The limits of public political tolerance of the far right in contemporary liberal democracies. (external link)

Academic monograph

• Berntzen, Lars Erik (2020). Liberal Roots of Far Right Activism: The Anti-Islamic Movement in the 21st Century. (external link)

Doctoral dissertation

• Berntzen, Lars Erik (2018). The Anti-Islamic Movement: Far Right and Liberal?. (external link)

Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

• Berntzen, Lars Erik; Weisskircher, Manès (2018). Remaining on the Streets: Anti-Islamic PEGIDA Mobilization and its Relationship to Far Right Party Politics. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik (2018). Ytre høyre: ideologier, grupper, vold og rekruttering. (external link)

Report

• Berntzen, Lars Erik; Bjånesøy, Lise Lund; Ivarsflaten, Elisabeth (2017). Patterns of Legitimacy on the Far Right. (external link)

Encyclopedia article

• Berntzen, Lars Erik (2017). Pegida. (external link)

Interview

• Berntzen, Lars Erik; Weisskircher, Manès (2015). Pegida marsjerer fortsatt gjennom Vest-Europa. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik (2015). Høyreekstreme og einstøinger. Hvorfor Sverige ikke er så spesielt.. (external link)
• Ivarsflaten, Elisabeth; Rykkja, Lise H.; Berntzen, Lars Erik et al. (2015). Forsker på ekstremisme. (external link)

Popular scientific article

• Berntzen, Lars Erik; Johannesson, Mikael Poul (2015). Trusselen fra gutterommet. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik; Weisskircher, Manès (2015). Anti-Islamic Pegida groups have spread beyond their German heartlands. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik; Bjånesøy, Lise Lund; Ivarsflaten, Elisabeth (2015). Demokratiske rettigheter og diskriminering. Funn fra tre survey-eksperimenter. (external link)
• Berntzen, Lars Erik (2011). Terrorhandlingenes fundament. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

Berntzen, L. E., Kelsall, H., & Harteveld, E. (2023). Consequences of Affective Polarization: Avoidance, intolerance and support for violence in the UK & Norway. European Journal of Political Research, First View.

Bjånesøy, L., Ivarsflaten, E., & Berntzen, L. E. (2023). Public political tolerance of the far right in contemporary Western Europe. West European Politics, 1-24.

Harteveld, E., Berntzen, L. E., Kokkonen, A., Kelsall, H., Linde, J., & Dahlberg, S. (2022). The (Alleged) Consequences of Affective Polarization: Individual-Level Evidence & a Survey Experiment in 9 Countries. OSF Preprints. Retrieved from osf.io/64uwd

Berntzen, L.E. (2022). Pegida. In The Wiley‐Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social and Political Movements. URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9780470674871.wbespm605

Berntzen, L. E., & Ravndal, J. A. (2021). Monster or Hero? Far-right Responses to Anders Behring Breivik and the July 22, 2011 Terrorist Attacks. Perspectives on Terrorism, 15(3), 37-59.

Berntzen, L. E., & Bjørgo, T. (2021). The Term ‘Lone Wolf’ and its Alternatives. Perspectives on Terrorism, 15(3), 132-141.

Berntzen, L. E. (2020). Liberal Roots of Far Right Activism: The Anti-Islamic Movement in the 21st Century. Routledge.

Berntzen, L. E. (2020). How elite politicization of terror impacts sympathies for partisans: Radical right versus social democrats. Politics and Governance, 8(3), 19-31.

Weisskircher, M., & Berntzen, L. E. (2019). Remaining on the streets: Anti-Islamic PEGIDA mobilization and its relationship to far-right party politics. In Radical right movement parties in Europe (pp. 114-130). Routledge.

Berntzen, L. E. (2018). The anti-Islamic movement: far right and liberal? (Doctoral dissertation). European University Institute, Italy.

Berntzen, L. E. (2018). Ytre høyre: Ideologier, grupper, vold og rekruttering. Radikalisering—fenomen og forebygging.

Berntzen, L. E., Bjånesøy, L., & Ivarsflaten, E. (2017). Patterns of legitimacy on the far right. DIGSSCORE working paper.

Berntzen, L. E., & Weisskircher, M. (2016). Anti-Islamic PEGIDA beyond Germany: Explaining differences in mobilisation. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 37(6), 556-573.

Berntzen, L. E., & Sandberg, S. (2014). The collective nature of lone wolf terrorism: Anders Behring Breivik and the anti-Islamic social movement. Terrorism and Political Violence, 26(5), 759-779.

Sandberg, S., Oksanen, A., Berntzen, L. E., & Kiilakoski, T. (2014). Stories in action: The cultural influences of school shootings on the terrorist attacks in Norway. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 7(2), 277-296.

Berntzen, L. E. (2011). Den eksistensielle trusselen, en sosiologisk studie av politisk motstand mot islam, muslimsk kultur og innvandring til Norge (Master's thesis, The University of Bergen).

Democracy in an Age of Populism: How the populist radical right affects political support, polarization and notions of democracy (DEMoPOP)