Kjetil A. van der Wel

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.

Fields of study

Academic disciplines

Social sciences

Subject areas

Labour Welfare state Security Work approach Social inequalities and health

Research groups

Living conditions, health, work and social inequality

Research projects

Ongoing research projects

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.

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.
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.

Scientific publications

Espen, Dahl; van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Hermansen, Åsmund ; Bråthen, Magne (2025). Work Hazards and Social Class among ‘successful’ ALMP-Participants in Norway. 30 p. Journal of Comparative Social Work. Vol. 19.
https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v19i2.664

Dahl, Espen ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (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.

Nordheim, Oda; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (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.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117721

Vedeler, Carina ; Eri, Tine Schauer ; Nilsen, Roy Miodini; Blix, Ellen ; Downe, Soo; van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Nilsen, Anne Britt Vika (2023). Women’s negative childbirth experiences and socioeconomic factors: Results from the Babies Born Better survey. 9 p. 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; Rabiee Khan, F; Oddsson, G; van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Sarasjärvi, K.K.; Olafsdottir, S; Buffel, Veerle; Skalicka, Vera; Van de Velde, S. (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.; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (2022). Cross-sectoral frontline delivery of welfare-to-work services for young adults with complex problems in Norway. 13 p. 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; Nybo Andersen, Anne-Marie (2021). Gestational Age, Parent Education, and Education in Adulthood. Pediatrics.
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-051959

Jensen, Maria Reinholdt ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Bråthen, Magne (2021). Adolescent Mental Health Disorders and Upper Secondary School Completion – The Role of Family Resources. 15 p. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2021.1983864

Brønnum-Hansen, Henrik; Östergren, Olof; Tarkiainen, Lasse; Hermansen, Åsmund ; Martikainen, Pekka; Wel, Kjetil A. van der ; Lundberg, Olle (2021). Changes in life expectancy and lifespan variability by income quartiles in four Nordic countries: a study based on nationwide register data. BMJ Open. Vol. 11.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048192

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

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These publications are obtained from Cristin. The list may be incomplete

Research reports

Heggebø, Kristian ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (2024). Sosiale ulikheter i for tidlig død: kan de unngås?. 40 p. Nasjonalforeningen for folkehelsen.

Løyland, Borghild ; Dahl, Espen ; Wahl, Astrid Klopstad; Lødemel, Ivar ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Hermansen, Åsmund ; Bråthen, Magne ; Heggebø, Kristian (2020). Sluttrapport Prosjekt 12/2243 - Arbeidsinkludering, Utdanning eller velferdsytelser. Hvordan har det gått med personer som var langtidsmottakere av sosialhjelp i 2005?. 32 p. Prosjektgruppa i samarbeid med Kunnskapsavdelingen i Arbeids og Velferdsdirektoratet.

Bekken, Wenche ; Dahl, Espen ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (2018). Unge i risiko for å bli stående utenfor: Hva kan kommunene gjøre? Noen tilnærminger. ISBN: 978-82-8364-082-3. 29 p. OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet.

Bekken, Wenche ; Dahl, Espen ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (2018). Levekår og helse i barndommen: Hva kan kommunene gjøre? Noen tilnærminger. ISBN: 978-82-8364-081-6. 27 p. OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet.

Bekken, Wenche ; Dahl, Espen ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (2018). Barnefattigdom, helse og livssjanser. Hva kan kommunene gjøre?. ISBN: 978-82-8364-080-9. 37 p. OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet.

Bekken, Wenche ; Dahl, Espen ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (2018). Sosiale ulikheter blant barn og unge: Hva kan norske kommuner gjøre? Noen tilnærminger. ISBN: 978-82-8364-079-3. 21 p. OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet.

Dahl, Espen ; Bergsli, Heidi; van Der Wel, Kjetil A. (2014). Sosial ulikhet i helse: En norsk kunnskapsoversikt. Sammendragsrapport. 46 p. Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus.
http://www.hioa.no/Forskning-og-utvikling/Hva-fors

Dahl, Espen ; Bergsli, Heidi; van Der Wel, Kjetil A. (2014). Sosial ulikhet i helse: En norsk kunnskapsoversikt. 366 p. Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus.
http://www.hioa.no/Forskning-og-utvikling/Hva-fors

van Der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Dahl, Espen ; Halvorsen, Knut (2012). Arbeidsinkludering og arbeidsmotivasjon i et komparativt perspektiv. 36 p. HiOA.
http://www.nav.no/Arbeid/Inkluderende+arbeidsliv/F

van Der Wel, Kjetil A. (2012). Social inequalities in sickness: structural change, welfare states and the life course. 150 p. Unipub forlag.

See all publications

These publications are obtained from Cristin. The list may be incomplete

Dissemination

Heglum, Mari Amdahl ; van der Wel, Kjetil A. (2025). Changing Patterns of Work-Family Interdependence in a Social Investment State. Young Adults and Mothers in Norway 1993-2017. RC28 Spring Meeting 2025: Education, Markets, and Families: The Dynamics of Social Stratification and Inequalities. University of Milan.

van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Heggebø, Kristian ; Dahl, Espen ; Elstad, Jon Ivar (2024). Høyt sykefravær – hva er problemet?. Aftenposten (morgenutg. : trykt utg.).
https://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/debatt/i/63oV1

van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Dahl, Espen ; Øverbye, Einar (2024). Proportionate Universalism: What is it, and what does it imply if implemented in a Social Democratic Welfare State?. Sustainable Welfare in Global Context: Responding to Societal and Environmental Transformations. ISA RC19 Annual Conference.

van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Dahl, Espen (2024). Om forholdsmessig universalisme. Faglunsj. Helsedirektoratet.

van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Heglum, Mari Amdahl ; Östergren, Olof (2024). Young benefit claimants’ pathways to work in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Trygdeforskningsseminaret 2024.

van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Heglum, Mari Amdahl ; Östergren, Olof (2024). Ungt «utenforskap». Hvordan går det med unge førstegangsmottakere av trygd og stønad i Norge, Sverige og Danmark?. Avtakking av prodekan for forskning. Fakultet for helsevitenskap, OsloMet.

van der Wel, Kjetil A. (2024). Sosial ulikhet i helse. Geografiske og sosioøkonomiske forskjeller i helse og død. Helseteknologi for alle?. OsloMet Holmlia.

van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Nordheim, Oda (2024). Are there diminishing returns to social spending? Social policy, health and health inequalities in European countries. Åpent seminar: European Social Survey (ESS). Fakultet for samfunnsvitenskap, OsloMet.

van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Heggebø, Kristian (2024). Sosiale ulikheter i for tidlig død - kan de unngås?. Empowermentdagen. Forskningsgruppen Empowerment, Fakultet for helsevitenskap.

van der Wel, Kjetil A. ; Heggebø, Kristian (2024). Sosiale ulikheter i for tidlig død – kan de unngås?. Sosial ulikhet tar liv. Legeforeningen, Nasjonalforeningen, Kreftforeningen.

See all publications

These publications are obtained from Cristin. The list may be incomplete

Kjetil A. van der Wel

About

Fields of study

Academic disciplines

Subject areas

Research groups

Living conditions, health, work and social inequality

Research projects

Ongoing research projects

Completed research projects

Publications and research

Scientific publications

Research reports

Dissemination