Academic interests
- Class theory and inequality
- Elites
- Social capital and networks of power
- Quantitative methods
Courses taught
- SOS4020 - Quantitative methods
- SOS1100 - Sociological theory
- SOS2100 - Inequality, class and stratification
Background
- Ph.d. fellow in sociology, March 2022 -
- MA in political science UiO, 2019
- BA in political science, UiO, 2017
- BA in sociology, UiO, 2017
Grants
- ARENA - Centre for European Studies, master thesis grant, 2019
Publications
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Saga, Marte Lund
(2026).
Class origin, elite circulation, and the currency of political capital.
European Societies.
ISSN 1461-6696.
p. 28–28.
doi:
10.1162/euso.a.113.
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Abstract This study investigates how class origin shapes the post-political career trajectories of Norwegian political elites. Building on theories of horizontal elite circulation and the notion of political capital, I ask whether politicians from privileged backgrounds are better able to convert the social and symbolic resources accumulated in office into top-level positions in other sectors. Using anonymous register data that cover the entire Norwegian population, I identify former ministers, state secretaries, and members of parliament who left top-level politics between 2003 and 2017. Sequence analysis and hierarchical clustering reveals six prototypical career pathways. Regression models show that upper-class origins significantly increase the probability of entering the private sector or organized-interest elite, while working-class politicians are overrepresented among those who exit political elite positions for a few years, only to return again. Educational attainment and occupational experience does not account for this pattern, suggesting that class-based habitus and credibility as holders of political capital operate independently of formal qualifications. Moreover, the results are interpreted as differences in the sectoral demand for political capital: it is highly valued in the private and organized-interest sectors but less so in the public bureaucracy. The findings demonstrate that elite circulation is stratified by class: upper-class origins facilitate the conversion of political capital into stable, high-status careers, whereas political elites with working-class social origins tend to remain within the precarious realm of elected office. This underscores the enduring role of class origin in reproducing power hierarchies even within a comparatively egalitarian context such as Norway.
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Saga, Marte Lund
(2025).
The politics of the Norwegian capitalist class: the inner circle and wealthy owners.
Social Forces.
ISSN 0037-7732.
104(2),
p. 495–515.
doi:
10.1093/sf/soaf047.
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This paper investigates the political activities of different segments within the capitalist class, comparing an inner circle of interlocked directors to a list of Norwegian wealthy owners. Drawing on a unique dataset that combines data on corporate boards with political participation records, the study compares wealthy owners and an “inner circle” of corporate directors. The findings reveal a division of labor within the capitalist class: while directors who are embedded in corporate networks participate more actively in institutionalized political settings, such as government advisory boards and business associations, wealthy owners exert their influence through financial contributions to political parties. Contrary to arguments suggesting that fragmentation of corporate networks weakens political power, this study shows that these groups continue to effectively promote their interests through distinct yet complementary strategies. The analysis highlights the continued political significance of both ownership and corporate directorships in influencing political processes, even in an “egalitarian” Scandinavian context. These findings challenge assumptions about a lack of cohesion and unity in the capitalist class and offer new insights into how economic power is translated into political influence.
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Bühlmann, Felix; Christesen, Caroline Ahler; Cousin, Bruno; Denord, Francois; Ellersgaard, Christoph Houmann & Larsen, Anton Grau
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(2025).
Varieties of Economic Elites? Preliminary Results From the World Elite Database (WED).
British Journal of Sociology.
ISSN 0007-1315.
76(3),
p. 663–673.
doi:
10.1111/1468-4446.13203.
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The strategies, decisions and beliefs of those who occupy prominent positions of economic power have influence on very large corporations and the markets they dominate, on vast amounts of economic resources, and on the rules of the game. However, the sociology of elites faces a dual challenge: divergent conceptualisations of what can be considered as a position of economic power and internationally incompatible sources of information hinder comparative analysis. The World Elite Database (WED) addresses this dual challenge, by generating, based on a consistent definition, standardised data for 16 countries. This research note introduces WED, its construction principles, and presents preliminary findings on how economic elites differ across countries.
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Published
Apr. 19, 2022 11:58 AM
- Last modified
Aug. 13, 2024 2:41 PM
