Åsmund Weltzien
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Åsmund Weltzien is Head of Communications at NUPI. He has a major (hovedfag) in social anthropology from the University of Oslo, and has previously worked as a researcher and research leader in Telenor R&D and as a diplomat and executive officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Weltzien works to promote NUPI's research to a wide audience and to the users of our research. He is particularly committed to helping NUPI's researchers create social and scientific impact, to improve our digital communication through development and experimentation, and to build networks of professionals, users and stakeholders where knowledge and insight are shared across institutions and sectors.
In Telenor, Weltzien's own research was focused on the development of new digital technologies and how information and influence spread in social networks. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has worked with various fields such as Norwegian climate policy, security policy, and European policy. From 2011, Weltzien was part of the Foreign Ministry's "Reflex Project", which was to contribute to the development of foreign policy through public debate on central foreign policy issues.
Weltzien has been Head of Communications at NUPI since 2013.
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Clear all filtersWho Buys Whom in International Oligopolies with FDI and Technology Transfer?
Under what conditions will a technology leader from a small country acquire a laggard from a large country, and vice versa? We answer this question with a two-firm two-country Cournot model, where firms enter new markets via greenfield FDI or acquisition. The model takes into account both technological and market size asymmetries, and allows for M&A transaction costs, like corporate finance and legal fees. We show that to be the acquirer, a firm from a small country needs not only a strong technological lead but also the ability to exploit it on a global scale, which requires low international technology transfer costs. Moreover, we find that a multilateral greenfield investment liberalization may actually increase the incentives for foreign acquisitions. The effect of such liberalization on the nationality of the acquirer depends largely on the extent of the technology gap.
Megaton nuclear underground tests and catastrophic events on Novaya Zemlya : A satellite study
During the first NUPI study of the Novaya Zemlya underground nuclear test site in 1991–92, much information was generated. This relates both to facilities and testing activities. One of the most important discoveries made was the enormous catastrophic rockslide caused by an underground test. In recent years, new information has become available also from Russian sources. Declassified US satellite imagery made it possible for NUPI to study in more detail the effects of the powerful underground nuclear tests on Novaya Zemlya. This report contains the most pivotal discoveries and findings during the three years of studying this arctic test site.
A Childhood Lost? The Challenges of Successful Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration of Child Soldiers: The Case of West Africa
[Abstract] After a conflict ends, there is a need to disarm, demobilise and reintegrate child soldiers into society. This report examines the challenges of achieving successful disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of child soldiers, with reference to DDR processes in West Africa, and suggests how such problems can be overcome. The challenges posed by the DDR of child soldiers in West Africa are vast and complex. The disarmament and demobilisation phase involves a dilemma between the need to include as many child soldiers as possible in the DDR process (many whom do not carry weapons), with an often- conflicting need to collect as many weapons as possible. In the reintegration phase of DDR come the challenges of rehabilitating former child soldiers, both physically and psychologically; the difficulties of reuniting child soldiers with their families; and the difficulties of creating viable opportunities for demobilised child soldiers in a post-conflict society. It is argued that DDR can succeed only if it addresses the needs of all child soldiers, including those who circumvent the official process, child soldiers who demobilise as adults, and girl soldiers. Moreover, DDR has to address the broader regional implications of conflict; it should take local circumstances into consideration; be carried out within the context of wider post-conflict reconstruction and peace-building; and must address the needs of the entire community into which the former child soldier is to be reintegrated.
Den stora segern fyller 60 : Segerdag, symbolåtervinning och ett förlorat fosterland
Uppsatsen handlar om firandet av 60-årsjubileet av andra världskrigets slut i Ryssland våren 2005. Den så kallade segerdagen som firas den 9 maj är en av landets största högtider. Uppsatsens huvudintresse är hur bilden av andra världskriget och den sovjetiska segern finns i offentligheten i dag och används i en konstruktion av dagens Ryssland. Uppsatsen bygger på material insamlat under fältarbete i S:t Petersburg våren 2005, samt en analys av artiklar i några av Rysslands största dagstidningar. Uppsatsen fokuserar på hur man firar, men också på vad som sägs om firandet och kriget. Hur identitetsfrågor, historia och nutid presenteras i vad som kan kallas en offentlig diskurs undersöks. I firandet har Sovjetunionen, som en av segrarmakterna i andra världskriget, en viktig roll, trots att landet sedan 15 år inte längre existerar. I uppsatsen undersöks vilken roll Sovjetunionen och sovjetiska symboler har i dagens ryska nationsbyggnadsprocess, med avseende på hur andra världskriget används. Militärparader, segertåg med veteraner och storslagna fyrverkerier hörde till firandet 2005. Firandet är till största delen offentligt till sin karaktär, även om det är en dag som också firas privat. Offentligheten i firandet tar sig uttryck på flera olika sätt. Mängder av affischer och banderoller sätts upp på strategiska ställen i staden, det är i stadsrummet som själva firandet äger rum. Dessutom finns en massiv medierapportering. Delar av firandet direktsänds i tv, och alla nyhetsmedier rapporterar. Bilden av kriget är enhetlig som den uttrycks i firandet och genom de artiklar som undersöks i uppsatsen. Dock är vissa delar av historien omtvistad, och det finns hot mot Den stora berättelsen om kriget. Detta tas upp i rapporteringen, men beskrivs som kommande utifrån. Den största delen av tidningsartiklarna utgörs av veteraners berättelser från kriget. Dessa ger trots enskildheter i detaljer, en mycket samstämmig bild av kriget och stödjer Den stora berättelsen om kriget som är den samma nu som under sovjettiden.
Implementing Human Rights Norms : A Case Study of Russia's Partial Compliance to ECHR Protocol No. 6
In December 1991, Russia started down the road of its post-Soviet existence. The re-emergence of Russia as a separate, independent entity compelled the state to come to terms with its revived national identity. Russia’s relationship with the West lay at the core of the challenge to define what Russia is and how it should relate to the outside world. Opinion divided over whether Russia should rapidly integrate with Europe and “return to the civilized community of nations” or whether it should seek “a strengthening of Russia’s positions in the East” and rather pursue its unique mission as a mediator between the East and West. Against this backdrop I have analysed Russia’s membership in the Council of Europe (CoE) and Russia’s partial compliance to the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) Protocol No. 6, which refer to the abolishment of the death penalty in peacetime. Employing constructivist insights, I argue that this partial compliance is explained by the lack of a coherent and widely accepted national identity. Due to different perceptions of Russia’s identity among various state actors, identities collide, and interests, and consequently action, will be in a competing and conflictual relationship to each other. Thus, norm compliance is challenged when identities overlap and their norms conflict. This, I argue, is evident in Russia’s relationship with the European ideational community and the country’s dealing with the death penalty issue. The more Russian state actors value the European identity of their state, the more they will seek to comply with “European” norms, such as the strong European abolitionist norm, and vice versa. In my analysis, I also discuss whether it is right to completely dismiss rational explanations to Russia’s partial compliance. In this way I bring my case into the midst of the rational–constructivist debate in International Relations theory. Contributing to this debate, I investigate whether an either-or approach is the most productive way of explaining Russia’s ideational behaviour or whether rational and constructivist assumptions combined may shed new light on how to understand Russian compliance with international human rights norms or the lack of such.
Trade Openness and Economic Growth : Do Institutions Matter?
Do lower policy-induced barriers to international trade promote economic growth in countries with poorly developed institutions? Several studies have found a general and positive relationship between trade openness and growth on average, but many of them are marred by methodological shortcomings and considerable unexplained variation in the results. I propose that good institutions of conflict management are a contingent and mediating factor that can help to explain data heterogeneity. Without such institutions, countries that integrate with world markets become vulnerable to external shocks, possibly unleashing domestic conflicts and uncertainty detrimental to growth. This hypothesis is given empirical support by analysing an interaction variable between openness and institutions, integrated in a growth regression for a sample of 94 countries. The interaction variable is positive, significant and robust to a standard list of control variables. For countries with the least developed institutions of conflict management, greater openness is ceteris paribus found to reduce growth rates. The results reveal the inadequacies of a ‘one size fits all’ approach to trade liberalisation, and indicate that complementary institutional reforms may be necessary if a country is to reap the full growth effects of openness.
Norge og multilateralt samarbeid : Mot en ny politikk?
I Soria Moria-erklæringen varslet den nye regjeringen at den multilaterale bistanden i økende grad skal forskyves fra Verdensbanken til utviklingsprogrammer og nødhjelpstiltak i regi av FN-organer. Norsk bistand skal ikke gå til programmer som stiller krav om liberalisering og privatisering. Det er imidlertid gitt lite faglig argumentasjon eller annen begrunnelse ut over det normative om hva denne omfordelingen bygger på. Dette var bakgrunnen for en workshop på NUPI den 7. mars 2006. Der søkte norske fagfolk å få frem relevante problemstillinger, hva som forelå av kunnskap og hvilke spørsmål som trengte nærmere analyse. Dette notatet summerer opp hovedkonklusjonene samt gir en statistisk oversikt over hovedstrømmene i den multilaterale bistanden, med vekt på de ressurser Norge stiller til rådighet.
From Internationalization of Terrorism to the Internationalization of Anti-terrorism : The Role of the Summer Olympic Games
The academic literature on international relations and international sports studies has long ignored the linkages between sports and international relations. The present contribution seeks to remedy this shortcoming in the literature on international relations and international sports studies, focusing on the relationship between terrorism, anti-terrorism and the Summer Olympic Games, and examining the role of terrorism and anticipated terrorist actions in the organization of the Olympic Games. In this article we show that the anti-terrorism measures undertaken before, during and after the Olympic Games since 1972 have gone from failure to success. The development of anti-terrorism measures has resulted in Olympic Games that have been held without terrorist attacks aimed at political change. Failures in previous Games have been evaluated and have served to promote new developments in the fight against terrorism in later Games. The Munich disaster alerted everyone to the importance of Olympic security; since then, the Olympic Games have become the standard-setter for national organization and international cooperation on anti-terrorism in society in general.
Tackling Welfare Gaps: The East European Transition and New Patterns of Migration to Norway
The main purpose of the study is to analyse how the growing welfare gaps between Eastern and Western Europe have become a securitised issue that needs to be addressed by national, international and supranational bodies. The very existence of welfare gaps is an important migratory push-factor. This study will examine how the economic and social transition in Eastern Europe – first of all in Russia and Poland, but also in the rest of what used to be defined as Eastern Bloc1 – has contributed to the emergence of a new set of push and pull factors in the region, and as a direct result, to new patterns of emigration. The next step will be to see how these emerging migratory patterns have influenced migration trends in Norway. As Norway is often represented as the wealthiest country in Europe and a country that has successfully pursued what is often in the Central and Eastern European discourse described as ‘the third way’ of development: a country that, thanks to its revenues from oil, has managed to build a capitalism with a human face, Norway has become both a potential and actual country of migration to many of the citizens from the former Communist Bloc. Thus, this study maps both the ‘push factors’ in the area of actual and potential emigration in Eastern and Central Europe, as well as the most important ‘pull factors’ in the areas of actual and potential migration, with a focus on Central/Eastern Europe on the one hand, and Norway on the other. In this context we will look at various institutional and non-institutional strategies of eliminating the welfare gaps perceived as a major cause of migration. As migration is increasingly becoming a securitised issue, I will treat the ‘welfare gap/migration issue’ as a part of a new post-Cold War European security equation.
Nuclear Weapons and Materials into the 21st Century: Threats, Challenges, and Options for Change
«Challenges to Collective Security» Working Papers from NUPI’s UN Programme: In three sections, this working paper briefly outlines i) present-day nuclear threats, ii) associated challenges of multinational mechanisms to stem nuclear proliferation to state and non-state actors – and most importantly, iii) possible ways to advance sound nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament practices.