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Guro Brokke Omland

Førsteamanuensis - Metode, arbeids-, kultur- og sosialpsyk

E-post g.b.omland@psykologi.uio.no

Rom S03-11

Treffetider Etter avtale

Brukernavn

Besøksadresse Harald Schjelderups hus Forskningsveien 3A 0373 Oslo

Postadresse Postboks 1094 Blindern 0317 Oslo

Pressebilde Last ned visittkort

Academic interests

Cultural psychology
Youth development
Young persons with refugee experiences
Child Welfare Services
Qualitative methodology

My research interests concern how care and developmental support for children and young people in difficult life situations is practised and understood by professionals. My doctoral thesis focused on developmental understandings and care arrangements for children and young people with refugee backgrounds, especially young people defined as unaccompanied refugee minors and how they are met by the Norwegian child welfare services. This research made me aware of some problematic aspects within the field: 1) a split care system between the legal responsibility of the young ones (allocated to the legal guardian) and the daily care (allocated to Child Welfare Services) means that the young persons miss out on support and care related to complex legal questions of their residence permits; and 2) the young persons’ challenges in negotiating developmental projects with their professional caregivers in a context in which western childhoods and discourses of immigration control characterise the culturally acceptable ideas of developmental projects.

I use sociocultural psychology as a theoretical and methodological framework to study development in a way that is sensitive to social, cultural, historical, and material contexts. I use everyday life as an analytic site to study persons and their environments as a unit, as it is societally and culturally arranged, socially and materially grounded and subjectively experienced.

I am interested in how psychological knowledge about children and young people is produced. Which understandings of children and childhood are reflected in the researchers’ questions? Which (meta)theoretical frameworks and perspectives are explicitly used or implicitly reflected in the researchers’ approaches? The overall purpose of my research is to contribute to the development of critical and reflective handling of questions concerning ‘the best interest of children’. At the same time, I want to develop models of understanding that can be used in practice to support young people, including their families and related institutions. I am especially attentive to preventing “othering” people and persons in my research and to directing attention to what the young persons try to accomplish in their lives and how their efforts are met and understood. I am also interested in combining the fields of developmental psychology and Childhood studies and strengthening Psychology’s connection to the other Social Sciences.

Background

PhD in Psychology, University of Oslo, 2020
Clinical Psychologist, University of Oslo, 2008

Emneord: Avdeling for metode arbeids- kultur- og sosialpsykologi, Kultur- og samfunnspsykologi, Kritisk psykologi, Utviklingspsykologi

Godø, Helene Tove; Halsa, Astrid Dagmar; Omland, Guro Brokke & Hauge, Mona-Iren (2023). «Tenk deg at du balanserer på en line»: Unges fortellinger om å få til skolen når de bor i barnevernsinstitusjon. Barn – forskning om barn og barndom i Norden. ISSN 0800-1669. 41(2-3), s. 57–73. doi: 10.23865/barn.v41.5625. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
Artikkelen tar utgangspunkt i intervjuer med ungdom på barnevernsinstitusjoner som tar eller har tatt videregående opplæring. Gjennom næranalyser av intervjuene med to av ungdommene som fullførte videregående skole, utforsker vi deres fortellinger om sin skoledeltakelse. Ungdommene fremhever egen innsats som avgjørende for at de klarte å fullføre skolegangen. De legger også vekt på at de voksne har tilrettelagt for lystbetonte aktiviteter med formål om å støtte opp under skolegangen. Med lupe på relasjonelle prosesser og aktiviteter mellom den unge og den voksne, belyser vi hvordan unges aktørskap og skoledeltakelse fasiliteres i relasjonen mellom den voksne og den unge. Vi viser også hvordan forskning på middelklassens sosialiseringspraksiser hjelper oss å få øye på hvordan voksne i samspillet med de unge, bidrar til å kultivere de unges motivasjon, driv og kompetanse for å få til skolen, og slik også bidrar til at de unge utvikler «tykkere» aktørskap.
Omland, Guro Brokke; Andenæs, Agnes & Sveaass, Nora (2020). ‘Discuss it with your legal guardian’: Challenges in practising care for young unaccompanied refugee minors. Child & Family Social Work. ISSN 1356-7500. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12810. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke & Andenæs, Agnes (2019). Peer relationships at residential care institutions for unaccompanied refugee minors: An under-utilised resource? Qualitative Social Work. ISSN 1473-3250. doi: 10.1177/1473325019860183. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
Without access to their own families, how do young, unaccompanied refugee minors re-establish their social lives in ways that facilitate a sense of togetherness in their everyday lives during resettlement? This question was approached by exploring the young persons’ creation of relational practices and the kinds of sociomaterial conditions that seemed to facilitate the evolvement of these practices, including the professional caregivers’ contributions. Interviews with 11 boys and 4 girls (aged 13–16) from Afghanistan, Somalia, Angola and Sri Lanka, as well as their professional caregivers in their country of residence, Norway, were analysed systematically by searching for, and categorizing, the variation of relational practices among the young persons. Three overarching practices are presented. First, the young persons worked to connect past, present and future contexts through collective meaning-making practices. Second, they regulated their peers’ emotions through emotional care practices. Third, they widened each other’s social networks through practices of social inclusion. Following the resettlement procedure the young persons moved from one kind of institution (care centre) to other parts of the country and to another kind of institution (group home) where the relational practices mentioned above appeared to be less prevalent. The article suggests that arranging everyday life as collective enterprises, as well as housing peers with similar cultural backgrounds, were central for the evolvement of the relational practices. As such, the article both elucidates a range of health-promoting relational practices that the young persons’ realised as a group as well as how these practices are embedded in sociomaterial conditions.
Omland, Guro Brokke & Andenæs, Agnes (2018). Negotiating developmental projects: Unaccompanied Afghan refugee boys in Norway. Childhood. ISSN 0907-5682. 25(1), s. 78–92. doi: 10.1177/0907568217718032. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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Hauge, Åshild Lappegard; Moss, Sigrun Marie; Omland, Guro Brokke; Bochynska, Agata; Houge, Anette Bringedal & Tateo, Luca [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). ReDemOS The Unintended Undemocratic Consequences of Open Science practices: Rethinking the Democratisation of Knowledge Production. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
The Open Science movement aims to democratise knowledge production, making data, research processes and results more open and transparent. However, it may also risk being undemocratic in its approaches to knowledge production. With its current guidelines, Open Science is tailored to methods used in specific disciplines, e.g. the Natural Sciences or hypothesis-testing social science. Though the aims of Open Science are transparency, equity and inclusion, the recommended methodological practices are often difficult to apply to other types of research approaches, e.g. qualitative methods. Open Science may, therefore, unintentionally exclude certain forms of knowledge production, especially within the social sciences. Consequentially, some types of research addressing important societal issues may face hindrances, as Open Science gains ground in research, funding, hiring and publishing. There may be cases where knowledge production paradoxically becomes narrower and less transparent due to Open Science. ReDemOs seeks to address these unintended consequences. By critically investigating how the aim of democratization in Open Science influences knowledge production, ReDemOs aims to suggest alternative conceptualisations and practices within Open Science.
Omland, Guro Brokke (2025). Children and young people crossing national borders alone: Professional work taking point of departure in their developmental projects. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2025). Open science and the TOP Guidelines: What’s the problem represented to be? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2024). From Doing Right to Doing Relevant: How can we develop methodological approaches that facilitate the results of our studies contribute to moving the knowledge situation in a field? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Bekken, Wenche & Omland, Guro Brokke (2024). Barn og barndom i transformasjon. Barn – forskning om barn og barndom i Norden. ISSN 0800-1669. 42(1), s. 1–5. doi: 10.23865/barn.v42.6385. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Andenæs, Agnes; Sundnes, Anita & Omland, Guro Brokke (2024). Strengthening the transparency of analytic processes in qualitative research. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2024). Developmental understandings of the «unaccompanied asylum-seeking minor»: Reproducing social order? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke; Hauge, Åshild Lappegard; Moss, Sigrun Marie & Andenæs, Agnes (2024). What becomes of qualitative psychology when “open and reproducible science” becomes an institutionalized regulatory norm? An analysis of Open science policy documents. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2023). Open Science: A Solution to the Ivory Tower Problem of Academia? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2023). "Men du må spørre hva de gjorde på skolen også!" «Døgnet-rundt-perspektiv» for å forstå hva som står på spill for unge med bakgrunn som enslige mindreårige flyktninger. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Hauge, Åshild Lappegard & Omland, Guro Brokke (2022). Expanding open science: Qualitative research as a point of departure. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Godø, Helene Toverud; Halsa, Astrid Dagmar & Omland, Guro Brokke (2022). Belonging through enriching activities and intimacy: Narratives of doing school and developmental support when living in residential care. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke; Phoenix, Ann; Ulvik, Oddbjørg Skjær; Aadnanes, Margrete; Herland, Mari Dalen & Negård, Inger-Lise [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). The Pandemic Child: Vulnerability constructions under COVID-19. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke & Andenæs, Agnes (2021). Expanding notions of family-based care for unaccompanied refugee minors? An exploration of relational negotiations between foster parents and unaccompanied foster children in Norway. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke; Andenæs, Agnes & Sveaass, Nora (2021). Et oppdelt omsorgssystem er ingen administrativ detalj: Et bidrag til en utvidet forståelse av den psykiske problembelastningen for unge med bakgrunn som enslige mindreårige flyktninger. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2021). Å bli kjent med og forstå unge mennesker som har kommet til Norge som enslige mindreårige asylsøkere. Hva fikk jeg ut av å ta i bruk hverdagslivsforankrete samtaler? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2021). Omsorg for og oppfølging av enslige mindreårige: Samarbeid og ansvarsfordeling mellom vergen og ansatte. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2020). Teoretisk informerte analyser: Hva er det? Muligheter og utfordringer. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2020). Omsorgstilnærminger for barn som bor på omsorgsinstitusjon. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2020). Kulturpsykologien og den kritiske psykologiens posisjon i det psykologiske fagfeltet - muligheter og utfordringer. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke & Andenæs, Agnes (2019). ‘Do you need to talk to someone?’ – Professionalising and outsourcing dialogues about psychological pain at residential care institutions for unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2018). Personal communities among unaccompanied refugee minors: Materiality of places and organisation of everyday life as crucial conditions. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2018). How can interpretative frameworks guide the construction of concrete analytical approaches? The Theory<>Data Relation of the Methodology Cycle. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2018). Å binde sammen unges deltakelse på tvers av arenaer: En sentral omsorgsoppgave i profesjonelt arbeid med enslige mindreårige flyktninger. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2017). Omsorg og utviklingsmuligheter for barn og unge med bakgrunn som enslige mindreårige flyktninger. Hva kan psykologien bidra med? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Kjelaas, Irmelin; Mjønes, Lauritzen Solvor; Jensen, Tine Kristin; Eide, Ketil; Lønning, Moa Nyamwathi & Lidén, Hilde [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2017). Mot bedre viten om barns beste. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke & Sveaass, Nora (2016). Unaccompanied minors: Conditions for development in exile. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2016). - Jeg sluttet å spise da vennene forlot mottaket. [Internet]. nrk.no. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2016). Gutter med bakgrunn som enslige mindreårige asylsøkere fra Afghanistan: Utviklingspsykologiske muligheter og utfordringer i Norge. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2016). Unge med bakgrunn som enslige mindreårige asylsøkere: Utviklingspsykologiske muligheter og utfordringer i Norge. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2016). Innvandringsminister Sylvi Listhaug fremstiller forskning feil for å begrunne innstramningene i asylpolitikken. Det mener flere forskere. [TV]. NRK Nyheter. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2016). Forskere: - Vi har ikke skrevet det Listhaug viser til. [Internet]. nrk.no. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Jensen, Tine; Omland, Guro Brokke & Sveaass, Nora (2016). Asylpolitikk uten dekning i vår forskning. Aftenposten (morgenutg. : trykt utg.). ISSN 0804-3116. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2015). Mindreårige asylsøkere strever med å få aksept for sitt ønske om å hjelpe familien sin. [Journal]. Aftenposten (morgenutg. : trykt utg.). Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Omland, Guro Brokke (2014). Barn og unge med bakgrunn som enslige mindreårige asylsøkere. En intervjustudie med fokus på ungdommenes utviklingsmuligheter og psykososiale behov. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Hauge, Åshild Lappegard; Omland, Guro Brokke & Anjum, Gulnaz (2024). Open Science and Qualitative Methods For students, supervisors, and researchers interested in qualitative psychology at the Department of Psychology, UiO. UiO. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
Open Science is described as an umbrella term for a diversity of aims and practices to increase public trust in scientific knowledge and increase the societal impact of research. In psychology, the Open Science movement has gained attention and impetus, especially as a remedy for “the replication crisis,” which revealed that numerous quantitative studies fail to replicate. However, many Open Science principles for improving replicability in quantitative studies conflict with the knowledge ambitions and epistemological stands in qualitative approaches. Today, Open Science is increasingly articulated as a demand for research funding, publication, and job announcements in academia. We recommend that Open Science is not confused with a standardised framework that ends up with a checklist approach across all research approaches. • Open Science is often understood as the particular practices of preregistration of hypotheses and analysis and open sharing of data. In most traditions of qualitative research, the research questions should be flexible and open, and the data are often too sensitive and context-dependent to be shared. Such practices may, therefore, limit the development of a broad range of qualitative research methodologies. • However, more broadly, Open Science concerns the need for trustworthy, transparent, and accessible research. Many practices already well-established in qualitative research, such as reflexivity, transparency, and user participation, may be seen as promoting these aims. We encourage The Department of Psychology to approach the aims of Open Science through diverse tailor-made practices for different methodological approaches. We also encourage critical reflections, discussions of dilemmas and engagement in innovative strategies for opening up our research and strengthening its societal impact.
Omland, Guro Brokke (2020). Re-creating lives and futures in exile: A cultural psychological study of unaccompanied refugee minors and their professional caregivers in Norway. Universitetet i Oslo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
With recent experiences of war, abuse and perilous journeys, unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors seek protection, safety and sustainable futures. Omland investigated the young persons' concerns, efforts and challenges to re-create their lives in the host country, Norway, and how the professional care arrangements meet the young persons in this endeavour. A cultural psychological perspective was employed in order to elaborate a research approach that conceptualises the young persons as developing individuals and thus is sensitive to their practices and meaning-making as embedded in social, cultural, historical and material contexts. Based on the results, three ways of facilitating young persons' tasks of re-creating their lives are proposed. First, to explore and engage in young persons' developmental projects. Second, to organise living arrangements in ways that secure and support the development of peer relationships. Third, to organise daily care in ways that facilitate caregivers' coordinative function and overview of overall care. The thesis speaks not only to the research field on unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors but also to more general research about development and care.

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Publisert 25. apr. 2012 09:15 - Sist endret 21. apr. 2026 14:29

Guro Brokke Omland

Academic interests

Background

Publikasjoner

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