About
Rune Halvorsen, PhD in sociology, is professor of social policy, program director MA social work and MA Nordic social policy (NORPOL).
His main interests are European and comparative welfare policy, social citizenship, EU social policy, and citizenship movements. Halvorsen’s central concern is to contribute new knowledge for the future social Europe. He has contributed to theorisation of changes in social citizenship, welfare governance and structure/agency dynamics in mature welfare states. Empirically his research has focused on labour market inclusion policies, disability policy, poverty, youth transitions, self-organisation and social mobilisation among marginalised population groups, and digital inclusion.
He has coordinated and participated in several cross-national and cross-disciplinary research projects funded by the EU (FP7 and Horizon 2020 collaborative projects, Marie Curie ITN and IF), the Nordic Council and the Research Council of Norway. He is the Scientific Coordinator of EUROSHIP - Closing gaps in social citizenship. New tools to foster social resilience in Europe. He is co-chair of the Nordic ESPAnet – Network for European Social Policy Analysis, and elected board members of Research Committee 19 Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy, ISA.
He has also held research posts at Maison des Sciences de l’Homme in Nantes and Paris and at the University of Leeds.
Field of study
Welfare state Disability New Social Movements The European Union Health and welfare politics Comparative studies of poverty Active labour market program Active Citizenship
Administrative field of work
Research training Research ethics Research collaboration Innovation International cooperation Research communication Public relations
Research groups
Research projects
Ongoing research projects
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Sustainable wellbeing through investment in social services (SWINS)
The project aims to bridge knowledge gaps on how investments in social services influence macroeconomic stability and the EU’s sustainability transition.
Completed research projects
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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.
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Healthcare Access in Rural Border Regions. Realizing Patient Rights Across European Borders (HARBOR)
The overall aim of the HARBOR project is to develop an integrated approach of cross-border interactions and access to health care in European border regions, and to rethink healthcare planning across border regions.
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Making Persons with Disabilities Full Citizens (DISCIT)
DISCIT aims to produce new knowledge enabling Member States, affiliated European countries and the European Union to achieve full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in society and economy.
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Sino-Norway Welfare Policy Dialogue (SINOPO)
The aim of SINOPO is to help solve the problem of poverty among persons with disabilities in China. The project focuses on labour market inclusion, accessibility and the development and provision of assistive devices.
Publications and research
Scientific publications
He, Biao; Homburg, Vincentius;
Halvorsen, Rune
(2025).
Implementation of e-government initiatives: a case study of accessibility upgrades in Chinese municipal government websites.
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy.
Vol. 19.
https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-09-2024-0223
Lussi, Clara; Bickenbach, Jerome;
Halvorsen, Rune
; Sabariego, Carla
(2024).
Trends over the past 15 years in long-term care in Switzerland: a comparison with Germany, Italy, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
BMC Geriatrics.
Vol. 24.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05195-8
He, Biao; Halvorsen, Rune ; Ding, Peng; Zhang, Wanhong (2024). Decentralization and its Impacts on Disability Service Delivery in China: An Example of Providing Accessible Government Websites. Biswas, Sattwick Dey; Sambo, Cleopas Gabriel; Pellissery, Sony (Ed.). The Politics of Welfare in the Global South. p. 176-204. Oxford University Press.
Erikstad, Lars; Simensen, Trond; Bakkestuen, Vegar;
Halvorsen, Rune
(2023).
Index Measuring Land Use Intensity—A Gradient-Based Approach.
Geomatics.
Vol. 3.
https://doi.org/10.3390/geomatics3010010
O'Reilly, Jacqueline; Unt, Marge;
Halvorsen, Rune
;
Schoyen, Mi Ah
; Verdin, Rachel; Roosalu, Triin; Ibáñez, Zyab
(2023).
Locked in Transition: Youth Labor Markets during COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, Norway, Estonia, and Spain.
Börner, Stefanie; Seeleib-Kaiser, Martin (Ed.).
European Social Policy and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges to National Welfare and EU Policy. p. 131-164.
Oxford University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197676189.003.0006
He, Biao;
Halvorsen, Rune
(2021).
DIGITAL INCLUSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN CHINA UNDER COVID-19: HOW FAR HAS CHINA COME?.
Frontiers of Law in China.
Vol. 16.
https://doi.org/10.3868/s050-010-021-0003-6
Halvorsen, Rune ; Hvinden, Bjørn; Schoyen, Mi Ah (2019). Hva skal til for å få flere unge funksjonshemmede i arbeid? Et systemperspektiv. Aamodt, Hilde Anette; Dahl, Espen; Gubrium, Erika; Haldar, Marit; Hermansen, Åsmund (Ed.). Sosialt arbeid og sosialpolitikk i samhandling. p. 246-266. Fagbokforlaget.
Halvorsen, Rune
; Hvinden, Bjørn
(2018).
Integrated discussion: Managing diversity among youth in Nordic social protection policies.
Halvorsen, Rune; Hvinden, Bjørn (Ed.).
Youth, Diversity and employment: Comparative perspectives on Labour Market Policies. p. 199-228.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.4337/9781783476008.00014
Scaratti, Chiara; Leonardi, Matilde; Silvaggi, Fabiola; Ávila, Carolina C.; Muñoz-Murillo, Amalia; Stavroussi, Panayiota; Roka, Olga; Burger, Helena; Fheodoroff, Klemens; Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Beata; Sabariego, Carla; Esteban, Eva; Gruber, Sonja; Svestkova, Olga;
Halvorsen, Rune
; Kadyrbaeva, Asel; Ferraina, Sabrina
(2018).
Mapping European Welfare Models: State of the Art of Strategies for Professional Integration and Reintegration of Persons with Chronic Diseases.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH).
Vol. 15.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15040781
Halvorsen, Rune ; Hvinden, Bjørn (2018). Youth, Diversity and employment: Comparative perspectives on Labour Market Policies. ISBN: 9781783475995. 232 p. Edward Elgar Publishing.
