Tore Bjorgo

Tore Bjorgo is a Norwegian social anthropologist and professor specializing in political extremism, terrorism, racist and right wing violence, and youth gangs. Born in 1958, he earned a Cand.polit. degree from the University of Oslo in 1987 and a doctorate from the University of Leiden in 1997, with his dissertation examining racist and right wing violence in Scandinavia; a central finding was that individuals typically become radicalized after entering extremist environments rather than joining because of pre-existing ideological commitment. He holds a professorship at the University of Oslo, where he directs the Center for Extremism Research on right wing extremism, hate crime and political violence, and also teaches at the Norwegian Police University College.