Kari Steen-Johnsen

Sociologist specializing in democratic participation and the digital public sphere

Kari Steen-Johnsen is interested in the conditions for democratic participation in the broad sense, emphasizing the consequences of digitalization and social media. Her research includes themes such as political mobilization and organization, citizen’s news use and political knowledge,as well as public debate and the freedom of speech. Conditions for, and effects of trust in the aftermath of terrorism and during the pandemic has been the focus of several of her previous and current projects.

Steen-Johnsen’s work is published in journals such as New Media & Society, Political Science & Politics, European Journal of Communication and Political Psychology. She is currently the PI of two projects funded by the Research Council of Norway, dealing with questions of political communication power in the digital public sphere: https://www.samfunnsforskning.no/english/projects/communication-power-of-politicians-in-a-digital-age-cepol/index.html  and https://www.samfunnsforskning.no/english/projects/far-right-politics-online-and-societal-resilience/index.html .

Steen-Johnsen completed her master’s degree in sociology at the University of Oslo, and her PhD at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.

Social media

Tags: Civil Society, Media and the public sphere

Publications

  • Ihlen, Øyvind; Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2024). Uncertainty communication in a high-trust society: Source type, political preference, and trust. International Journal of Communication. Full text in Research Archive
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Enjolras, Bernard Louis (2023). Makt- og demokratiutredningen og framveksten av den digitale offentligheten. Norsk sosiologisk tidsskrift. doi: 10.18261/nost.7.4-5.6. Full text in Research Archive
  • Steen-Johnsen, Tale & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2023). "Strangers in Their Own Land" - en sosiologisk roadtrip gir nye forståelser av sammenhengen mellom politikk og følelser. In Hestholm, Roger Ivan & Skarpenes, Ove (Ed.), Sosiologisk analyse. Fagbokforlaget. p. 35–52.
  • Haugsgjerd, Atle Hennum; Karlsen, Rune & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2023). Uninformed or Misinformed in the Digital News Environment? How Social Media News Use Affects Two Dimensions of Political Knowledge. Political Communication. doi: 10.1080/10584609.2023.2222070. Full text in Research Archive
  • Boulianne, Shelley & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2023). Civic and political volunteering: the mobilizing role of websites and social media in four countries. Journal of Information Technology & Politics (JITP). p. 1–17. doi: 10.1080/19331681.2023.2211974. Full text in Research Archive
  • Wollebæk, Dag; Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2022). Tillit, følelser, normer og sosial distansering: En longitudinell studie av den norske befolkningen under Covid-19-pandemien. Norsk Statsvitenskapelig Tidsskrift. 38(3), p. 63–80. doi: 10.18261/nst.38.3.1. Full text in Research Archive
  • Wollebæk, Dag; Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2022). ‘You can’t be careful enough’: Measuring interpersonal trust during a pandemic. Journal of Trust Research. 11(2), p. 75–93. doi: 10.1080/21515581.2022.2066539. Full text in Research Archive
  • Fladmoe, Audun; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Enjolras, Bernard Louis (2022). Hvem deltar i den nye offentligheten? Aktive nettdebattanter og deres holdninger. In Mangset, Marte; Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (Ed.), Ytringsfrihet i en ny offentlighet : Grensene for debatt og rommet for kunnskap. Universitetsforlaget. p. 76–94. doi: 10.18261/9788215051017-2022-04.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Fladmoe, Audun & Frøvoll, Gard Løken (2022). En endret offentlighet? Holdninger til og erfaringer med ytringsfrihet i 2013-2020. In Mangset, Marte; Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (Ed.), Ytringsfrihet i en ny offentlighet : Grensene for debatt og rommet for kunnskap. Universitetsforlaget. p. 57–75. doi: 10.18261/9788215051017-2022-03.
  • Wollebæk, Dag; Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2022). Holdninger til ytringsfrihet i Norge: et nytt kart og kompass. In Mangset, Marte; Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (Ed.), Ytringsfrihet i en ny offentlighet : Grensene for debatt og rommet for kunnskap. Universitetsforlaget. p. 33–56. doi: 10.18261/9788215051017-2022-02.
  • Wollebæk, Dag; Fladmoe, Audun; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Ihlen, Øyvind (2022). Right-wing ideological constraint and vaccine refusal: The case of the COVID-19 vaccine in Norway. Scandinavian Political Studies. 45(2), p. 253–278. doi: 10.1111/1467-9477.12224. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bergh, Johannes; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Ødegård, Guro (2021). Det politiske generasjonsgapet. In Ødegård, Guro & Pedersen, Willy (Ed.), UNGDOMMEN. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. p. 337–360. doi: 10.23865/noasp.142.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Solheim, Øyvind Bugge; Winsvold, Marte Slagsvold & Enjolras, Bernard (2021). Tillit etter terror i Norge, Frankrike og Spania. Betydningen av narrativer og politisk kontekst. Norsk sosiologisk tidsskrift. 5(3), p. 12–27. doi: 10.18261/issn.2535-2512-2021-03-02. Full text in Research Archive
  • Karlsen, Rune & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Nyheter, sosiale nettverk og lokalpolitisk orientering i lokalvalgkamp. In Saglie, Jo; Segaard, Signe Bock & Christensen, Dag Arne (Ed.), Lokalvalget 2019: Nye kommuner - nye valg?. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. p. 117–142. doi: 10.23865/noasp.134.ch5.
  • Kaakinen, Markus; Oksanen, Atte; Kushner Gadarian, Shana; Solheim, Øyvind Bugge; Herreros, Francisco & Winsvold, Marte Slagsvold [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2021). Online Hate and Zeitgeist of Fear: A Five-Country Longitudinal Analysis of Hate Exposure and Fear of Terrorism After the Paris Terrorist Attacks in 2015. Political Psychology. 42(6), p. 1019–1035. doi: 10.1111/pops.12732. Full text in Research Archive
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Winsvold, Marte (2021). Islamist terrorism, out-group trust, and motivation to control prejudice. International Journal of Public Opinion Research. 32(3). doi: 10.1093/IJPOR/EDZ014. Full text in Research Archive
  • Karlsen, Rune; Beyer, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Do High-Choice Media Environments Facilitate News Avoidance? A Longitudinal Study 1997–2016. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media. doi: 10.1080/08838151.2020.1835428. Full text in Research Archive
  • Makkonen, Anna; Oksanen, Atte; Gadarian, Shana Kushner; Herreros, Francisco; Winsvold, Marte & Solheim, Øyvind Bugge [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2020). Fear-triggering effects of terrorism threats: Cross-country comparison in a terrorism news scenario experiment. Personality and Individual Differences. 161. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.109992. Full text in Research Archive
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Winsvold, Marte (2019). Global Terrorism and the Civil Sphere in Norway: Renegotiating Civil Codes. In Alexander, Jeffrey C.; Lund, Anna & Voyer, Andrea (Ed.), The Nordic Civil Sphere. Polity Press. p. 229–255. Full text in Research Archive
  • Enjolras, Bernard; Gadarian, Shana & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Social Media Use and Fear Levels after the Paris 2015 Attacks: A Comparative Study. In Elman, Miriam F.; Gerard, Catherine; Golan, Galia & Kriesberg, Louis (Ed.), Overcoming Intractable Conflicts : New Approaches to Constructive Transformations. Rowman & Littlefield International. p. 107–122.
  • Enjolras, Bernard; Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Herreros, Francisco; Solheim, Øyvind Bugge; Winsvold, Marte & Gadarian, Shana [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2019). Does trust prevent fear in the aftermath of terrorist attacks? Perspectives on Terrorism (PT). 13(4), p. 39–55. Full text in Research Archive
  • Sundet, Vilde Schanke; Ihlebæk, Karoline Andrea & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Policy windows and converging frames: a longitudinal study of digitalization and media policy change . Media, Culture and Society. p. 1–16. doi: 10.1177/0163443719867287. Full text in Research Archive
  • Wollebæk, Dag; Karlsen, Rune; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Enjolras, Bernard (2019). Anger, fear, and echo chambers: The emotional basis for online behavior. Social Media + Society. 5(2). doi: 10.1177/2056305119829859. Full text in Research Archive
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Sundet, Vilde Schanke & Enjolras, Bernard (2019). Theorizing Policy-Industry Processes : A Media Policy Field Approach. European Journal of Communication. doi: 10.1177/0267323119830047. Full text in Research Archive
  • Beyer, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2018). Nasjonale organisasjoners bruk av sosiale medier. Muligheter og barrierer for bruk. In Enjolras, Bernard & Eimhjellen, Ivar (Ed.), Fra kollektiv til konnektiv handling? Nye former for samfunnsengasjement og kollektiv handling i Norge . Cappelen Damm Akademisk. p. 235–270. doi: 10.23865/noasp.45.ch9.
  • Enjolras, Bernard; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Beyer, Audun (2018). Forholdet mellom online- og offline-deltakelse i frivillige organisasjoner. In Enjolras, Bernard & Eimhjellen, Ivar (Ed.), Fra kollektiv til konnektiv handling? Nye former for samfunnsengasjement og kollektiv handling i Norge . Cappelen Damm Akademisk. p. 101–126. doi: 10.23865/noasp.45.ch4. Full text in Research Archive
  • Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2018). Is ethnic diversity bad for any dimension of social capital? Trust, networks, and voluntarism in Norwegian communities. Scandinavian Political Studies. 41(3), p. 336–366. doi: 10.1111/1467-9477.12127. Full text in Research Archive
  • Eimhjellen, Ivar; Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Folkestad, Bjarte & Ødegård, Guro (2018). Changing patterns of volunteering and participation. In Enjolras, Bernard & Strømsnes, Kristin (Ed.), Scandinavian Civil Society and Social Transformations : The Case of Norway. Springer. p. 25–65. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-77264-6_2.
  • Oksanen, Atte; Kaakinen, Markus; Minkkinen, Jaana; Räsänen, Pekka; Enjolras, Bernard & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2018). Perceived societal fear and cyberhate after the November 2015 Paris Terrorist Attacks. Terrorism and Political Violence. doi: 10.1080/09546553.2018.1442329. Full text in Research Archive
  • Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2017). Willingness to discuss the publishing of religious cartoons. Spiral of silence in the private and public spheres. In Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (Ed.), Boundary Struggles : Contestations of Free Speech in the Norwegian Public Sphere. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. p. 77–108. Full text in Research Archive
  • Kumlin, Staffan; Wollebæk, Dag; Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2017). Leap of Faith or Judgment of Deservingness? Generalized Trust, Trust in Immigrants and Support for the Welfare State. In Oorschot, Wim van; Roosma, Femke; Meuleman, Bart & Reeskens, Tim (Ed.), The Social Legitimacy of Targeted Welfare: Attitudes to welfare Deservingness. Edward Elgar Publishing. p. 281–296. doi: 10.4337/9781785367212.00031.
  • Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (2017). Boundary-making in the public sphere: Contestations of free speech. In Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (Ed.), Boundary Struggles : Contestations of Free Speech in the Norwegian Public Sphere. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. p. 13–43. Full text in Research Archive
  • Enjolras, Bernard & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2017). The digital transformation of the political public sphere: a sociological perspective. In Engelstad, Fredrik; Larsen, Håkon; Rogstad, Jon & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (Ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. p. 99–117. doi: 10.1515/9783110546330. Full text in Research Archive

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  • Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (2017). Boundary Struggles : Contestations of Free Speech in the Norwegian Public Sphere. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. 323 p.

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  • Wollebæk, Dag; Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Hvem vil ta koronavaksinen? Institutt for samfunnsforskning.
  • Fladmoe, Audun; Wollebæk, Dag; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (2021). Hva mener befolkningen om ytringsfrihetens grenser? Fritt ord. Full text in Research Archive
  • Wollebæk, Dag; Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Etterlevelse av smittevernråd. Betydningen av tillit og bekymring. Institutt for samfunnsforskning.
  • Wollebæk, Dag; Enjolras, Bernard; Fladmoe, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Tillit og bekymring. Hva avgjør om folk følger smittevernrådene? Institutt for samfunnsforskning og Senter for forskning på sivilsamfunn og frivillig sektor.
  • Solheim, Øyvind Bugge; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Heidar, Knut (2019). Terrorism and Attitudes Toward Out-groups: A Political Perspective. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive

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  • Steen-Johnsen, Tale & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2023). En sosiologisk roadtrip gir innsikt i sammenhengen mellom følelser og politikk. sosiologen.no.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2023). Digital Platforms and the Deinstitutionalization of the Public Sphere: Consequences for Democracy.
  • Hansen, Vibeke Wøien; Thau, Mads & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2023). Party responsiveness to party voters and interest groups on different policy dimensions: Is the call for urgent climate change evident in voter-party-group relations across countries?
  • Karlsen, Rune & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2023). Polarisering og opinionsdynamikker i den digitale offentligheten. Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning. 64(3), p. 282–291. doi: 10.18261/tfs.64.3.8.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2022). Steile fronter om fylkets framtid på sosiale medier: - Identitet kan være lett å mobilisere rundt, sier forsker. Oppland arbeiderblad.
  • Fladmoe, Audun; Nadim, Marjan & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2022). Emotional reactions to observing far-right online rhetoric. Comparing targets and non-targets of far-right online harassment .
  • Haugsgjerd, Atle; Karlsen, Rune; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Beyer, Audun (2022). Less Informed and Less Confident Citizens: Social Media, Retrieval Accuracy and Confidence in Political Knowledge.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Karlsen, Rune (2022). Political agenda setting in the digital public sphere – an actor centered approach.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Thau, Mads & Vaccari, Cristian (2022). The Road to Citizenship is through Dialogue: How Discussing Politics Reinforces Political Interest.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Først var det Eldreopprøret. Så var det Oljebrølet. Nå går Frp inn i strømprotest på Facebook. Aftenposten (morgenutg. : trykt utg.).
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Enjolras, Bernard Louis (2021). Digitalisering og offentlighet – forskningen på ISF.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Tillit til myndighetene ved store samfunnskriser Forutsetninger og konsekvenser.
  • Karlsen, Rune; Sundet, Vilde Schanke & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Slik er den nye digitale offentligheten. Aftenposten (morgenutg. : trykt utg.).
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Sosial og politisk tillit under pandemien. Et år etter at Norge stengte ned. [Radio]. NRK Nyhetsmorgen.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Krenk? En samtale om unges ytringsrom i dag.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Hvordan vil sosiale medier prege valgåret 2021?
  • Haugsgjerd, Atle; Karlsen, Rune; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Beyer, Audun (2021). Misinformed or uninformed? A panel-study of how the use of social media as a news source influences political knowledge .
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Den digitale valgkampen 2021.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Populisme og politisk kommunikasjon - kommentar til Toril Aalberg.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2021). Tillit.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Kampen mot koronatiltakene. [Newspaper]. Aftenposten.
  • Ljunggren, Jørn ; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Andersen, Patrick Lie (2020). Social Inequality, Political Trust and Emotions.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Panelsamtale om det sosiologiske tillitsbegrepet.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Offentlighet og polarisering.
  • Beyer, Audun; Karlsen, Rune & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Social Media News Consumption and Political Surveillance Knowledge:Adding Motivation and Ability to the Equation .
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Nyhetsinnslag om sosial tillit under koronakrisen. [Radio]. NRK Nyhetsmorgen.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Innslag om hamstring og tillit under Corona-krisen. NRK Nyheter. [Radio]. NRK.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Pandemier har forandret verden før. Hva blir endringene denne gangen? [Newspaper]. Aftenposten.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Nyhetsmorgen. Innslag om politisk og sosial tillit i kriser. [TV]. NRK.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Skal forske på ytre høyre på nett: aldri noen enkel oppgave å klassifisere aktører. [Internet]. Resett.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Ytre høyre på nett og samfunnets motstandskraft.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Fladmoe, Audun (2019). Xenophobia and offensive speech targeting minorities. Evidence from two survey experiments in Norway.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Enjolras, Bernard; Winsvold, Marte Slagsvold & Solheim, Øyvind Bugge (2019). Bør vi blokkere sosiale medier etter terrorangrep? Morgenbladet.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Utfordringer for offentlighet og ytringsfrihet i dagens Norge.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Offentligheten som rom for frie uttrykk.
  • Sundet, Vilde Schanke; Ihlebæk, Karoline Andrea & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). 20 år med digital mediekrise. Dagens næringsliv.
  • Karlsen, Rune; Beyer, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Social Media News Consumption, News Finds Me Perceptions, and Political Knowledge.
  • Beyer, Audun; Karlsen, Rune & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). News Habits Die Hard, but Die. A Longitudinal Study of Total News Avoidance in the transition from low to high-Choice Media Environments 1997-2016.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Polarisering, fragmentering og ekkokamre.
  • Ihlebæk, Karoline Andrea; Sundet, Vilde Schanke & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Digitalization and diversity: A case study of policy incentives in the news sector.
  • Sundet, Vilde Schanke; Ihlebæk, Karoline Andrea & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Policy windows and converging frames: How media industry players frame digitalization and the need for policy actions.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Boulianne, Shelley; Koc-Michalska, Karolina & Bimber, Bruce (2019). Digital media, networks, and offline volunteering: A comparative study.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Personvern, politikermakt og demokrati - innlegg i paneldebatt.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Mener mediene har «berøringsangst»: – Vi skal høre på folk når de er forbannet. [Newspaper]. Aftenposten.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Tillit og bevæpning av politiet. [Radio]. NRK P2 Desse dagar.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Stengning av sosiale medier etter terroren på Sri Lanka. [TV]. TV2 Nyhetskanalen.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Sosiale medier i krisesituasjoner. [Radio]. NRK Nyhetsmorgen.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Facebook stopper vaksinemotstandere. [Radio]. NRK P2 Studio 2.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Trenger kvinner beskyttelse? [Radio]. NRK P2 Kurér.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Fladmoe, Audun (2019). How wide is the acceptance in the general public to publish religious cartoons in mass media? Evidence from a Norwegian survey experiment.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2018). Folkemassene alene får ikke politikerne til å handle. [Internet]. TV2 Nyhetskanalen.
  • Solheim, Øyvind Bugge; Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Enjolras, Bernard; Winsvold, Marte; Herreros, Francisco & Gadarian, Shana [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2018). Terrorism, emotion and trust in Muslims.
  • Sundet, Vilde Schanke & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2018). “We have a Chrisis. Again!” How Norwegian Media Industry Players Talk about Media Change and the Need for Media Policy Actions.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2018). Media, misinformation and polarization.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2017). Om toleransens förutsättningar och hållbarhet - en kommentar til Wallman Lundåsen och Trägårdh. In Lundberg, Erik (Eds.), Toleransens mekanismer : en antologi. Forum för levande historia. p. 100–114.
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Winsvold, Marte Slagsvold (2017). Islamic terrorism, out-group trust and the motivation to control .
  • Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Sundet, Vilde Schanke (2017). "Digitalization, globalization and the condition for national media policies - a field perspective".
  • Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (2017). Utstøting og selvsensur truer ytringsfriheten i Norge. Aftenposten (morgenutg. : trykt utg.).

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Published May 19, 2017 4:33 PM - Last modified Feb. 26, 2024 12:23 PM