About
Kjetil A. van der Wel holds a PhD in Sociology and is a Professor of Social Policy at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University. His research and teaching interests focus on social inequality in health, welfare, and living conditions, social exclusion and poverty, health-related inequalities in work participation and labour market exclusion, and comparative health and social policy. He primarily works with register data and surveys.
Currently, van der Wel is participating as a Country PI in the ERC project WelfareExperiences, which investigates experiences of receiving cash benefits and welfare services in Estonia, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Hungary. The project is led by Prof. Ben Baumberg Geiger at King's College, London. He also participates in projects on social welfare technology (BOVEL), debt problems (WELLDEBT), and disadvantaged groups within the Nav system (O4O).
He has previously led the following externally funded research projects:
- Work inclusion and work motivation in Norway and Europe. A one-year project funded by the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (the FARVE fund) (2011-2012), project leader.
- Work and welfare in comparative light: how do different groups fare in different policy-settings? 3-year post doc. project financed by the Norwegian Research Council (2012-2016), project leader
- Policy briefs on health inequalities, financed by the Norwegian Directorate of Health (2015-2016), shared project leadership.
- Contingent life courses (C-LIFE) : Tracing Health and Welfare in the Nordic Countries. Nordic project funded by NORDFORSK (2016-2019), project leader.
- OsloMet - Welfare state life courses: Social inequalities in the co-evolution of employment, health and critical life events (WELLIFE), (2016-2022). Project leader. NORDFORSK
In addition, van der Wel has contributed to societal debate and dissemination within social security, work and sick leave, and social inequality in health.
In the period 2020-2023, he was Head of the Living Conditions, Health, Work and Social Inequality Unit at the Institute of Social Work, Child Welfare & Social Policy.
Field of study
Labour Welfare state Security Work approach Social inequalities and health
Research groups
Research projects
Completed research projects
-
EUROSHIP – Closing Gaps in Social Citizenship. New Tools to Foster Social Resilience in Europe
The overall aim of the EUROSHIP project is to provide an original and gender-sensitive assessment of the current gaps in social protection across Europe.
-
Housing as a Welfare Good for Young NEETs
This project explores how housing conditions affect young people who are neither in education, employment, nor training (NEETs) in Oslo.
-
Organising for Outcome - Links between service integration and transitions to employment for citizens with complex service needs
Will service integration improve labour market participation for citizens with multiple service needs?
-
Welfare State Life Courses: Social Inequalities in the Co-evolution of Employment, Health and Critical Life Events (WELLIFE).
This project is a multidisciplinary Nordic collaboration researching inequalities in health and opportunities in the Nordic welfare states, and how they unfold over individuals life courses.
Publications and research
Scientific publications
Espen, Dahl;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
;
Hermansen, Åsmund
;
Bråthen, Magne
(2025).
Work Hazards and Social Class among ‘successful’ ALMP-Participants in Norway.
Journal of Comparative Social Work.
Vol. 19.
https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v19i2.664
Dahl, Espen
;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
(2025).
Sosial ulikhet og klasse.
Brodtkorb, Elisabeth; Rugkåsa, Marianne (Ed.).
Mellom mennesker og samfunn: sosiologi og sosialantropologi for helse- og sosialprofesjonene. p. 116-147.
Gyldendal Norsk Forlag A/S.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/4118854
Nordheim, Oda;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
(2025).
Are there diminishing returns to social spending? Social policy, health and health inequalities in European countries. A comparative longitudinal survey data analysis.
Social Science and Medicine.
Vol. 380.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117721
Vedeler, Carina;
Eri, Tine Schauer
; Nilsen, Roy Miodini;
Blix, Ellen
; Downe, Soo;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
; Nilsen, Anne Britt Vika
(2023).
Women’s negative childbirth experiences and socioeconomic factors: Results from the Babies Born Better survey.
Sexual & Reproductive HealthCare.
Vol. 36.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100850
Berg-Beckhoff, Gabriele; Bask, M; Jervelund, S.S.; Guldager, J.D.; Quickfall, A; Khan, F Rabiee; Oddsson, G;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
; Sarasjärvi, K.K.; Olafsdottir, S; Buffel, Veerle; Skalicka, Vera; Velde, S. Van de
(2022).
Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Preventive Medicine.
Vol. 164.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107245
Bakken, Frøydis M.;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
(2022).
Cross-sectoral frontline delivery of welfare-to-work services for young adults with complex problems in Norway.
Social Policy & Administration.
https://doi.org/10.1111/spol.12860
Bilsteen, Josephine; Alenius, Suvi;
Bråthen, Magne
; Børch, Klaus; Ekstrøm, Claus Thorn; Kajantie, Eero Olavi; Lashkarian, Mariam; Nurhonen, Markku; Risnes, Kari Ravndal; Sandin, Sven;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
; Wolke, Dieter; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo
(2021).
Gestational Age, Parent Education, and Education in Adulthood.
Pediatrics.
Vol. 149.
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-051959
Jensen, Maria Reinholdt;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
;
Bråthen, Magne
(2021).
Adolescent Mental Health Disorders and Upper
Secondary School Completion – The Role of Family
Resources.
Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2021.1983864
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
;
Hermansen, Åsmund
;
Dahl, Espen
;
Saltkjel, Therese
(2021).
Utsatte unges livsbaner før og etter NAV-reformen: Flere «integrerte», sammenhengende, progressive og effektive forløp?.
Tidsskrift for velferdsforskning.
Vol. 24.
https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.2464-3076-2021-01-06
Dahl, Espen
;
Elstad, Jon Ivar
;
Hermansen, Åsmund
;
Wel, Kjetil A. van der
(2021).
Uførhet og dødsrisiko i arbeiderklassen - Hva betyr arbeidsmiljø og arbeidsforhold?.
Ljunggren, Jørn; Hansen, Marianne Nordli (Ed.).
Arbeiderklassen. p. 275-291.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/4442633
