Maja is a Research Fellow at the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen. Her research focuses mainly on human rights and refugees in East Africa and the Middle East. Her current work, pursued under the auspices of the project Migration to Norway: Flows and Regulations, focuses on the forced return of failed asylum seekers in the Norwegian context. She is also guest-editing (together with Dr Are Knudsen) a Special Issue on refugee camps for Humanity Journal.

Maja has a growing interest in international legal method and critical human rights, and is a strong advocate for the use of socio-legal approaches in international law. Her PhD, awarded by the University of Bergen in 2012, employed empirical research in Uganda when discussing the international responsibility of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for human rights violations in refugee camps. These findings can be read in her new book Protecting Civilians in Refugee Camps: Unable and Unwilling States, UNHCR and International Responsibility.

Maja has held previous assignments with the Swedish Red Cross and is currently a Member of the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights’ Prize Committee. She has been a visiting researcher at the American University in Cairo, the Swedish College of Defence and at Makerere University in Kampala. In 2014, she was awarded the Meltzer Young Researcher Award for outstanding scientific achievements.

Maja’s introductory post today discusses  rights of Nubians in Egypt.  Heartfelt welcome!