Draft:Olav Ofstad

Olav Ofstad (born in Trondheim in 1947) is an independent researcher, writer, and trainer in conflict management and travel security/kidnapping survival. He is the founder of, a network of experts offering training in these subjects.

Biography

A jurist by education, Ofstad started his career at 26 as a police lawyer/prosecutor at Romerike Politikammer (1973-74) and a deputy judge at Asker og Bærum Herredsrett (1974-75) and Sandefjord Byfogdembete (1975-1976).

He ran a private law firm (Advokatfirmaet Ofstad) for fifteen years (1977-1992)before entering the humanitarian field.

He has worked as :

Diplomat at Norwegian embassies and NORAD in Pakistan (1992-95)

Protection Officer at UNHCR in Bosnia (1996-97)

Norwegian Embassy/NORAD India (1998/99)

Project Director at the Norwegian Refugee Council in Serbia (1998)

Organizational development delegate at the Red Cross Federation in Syria (2002-2003)

Head of Delegation for the Red Cross Federation (2003-2006)

Head of Delegation for the Norwegian Red Cross in Indonesia

Head of delegation for the Red Cross Federation in Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro in 2007-2009

Visiting research fellow at the University of Oxford (2011), studying UN peacebuilding practices in general and specifically in East Timor, Burundi, and Central Africa. (working paper and podcast)

He was responsible for The Red Cross Federation’s International Disaster Response Law Program in Asia/Pacific (2010-2011)

Works

Between his missions, he has devoted time to research, writing, and training various groups in conflict management and travel security/kidnapping survival.

Conflict management in International Peace operations- A handbook for officers and soldiers 2001)

A Norwegian version of this book was written for the Norwegian Defence International Center (NODEFIC previously FOKIV) An expanded English version, welcomed by social psychology scientists, was printed in 2003 and reprinted in 2006.

 Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution in East Timor : Lessons for Future Peace Operations (Working paper 2012) (Measuring Peace: Principles, Practices, and Politics, by Dr. Richard Caplan p.114)

 Seminar at the University of Oxford Institute of Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, UN Conflict Management in East Timor (2012)

He has criticized UN peacebuilding practices for failing in several aspects, i.e. analysis, planning, and conflict management, and suggested a different structured peacebuilding model. (Working Paper 2012)

 Conflict Management in International Missions: A field guide. (Routledge, Amazon.com 2015) The book offers a wide range of practical advice for anyone working in conflict areas. Peacebuilding is comprehensively discussed. Ofstad’s efforts to build a bridge between conflict theory and practical challenges earned the book the sobriquet ‘a pracademic jewel’ (Dr. Siniša Vuković, Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, Vol 23 (1), Feb 2017)

 Surviving Kidnappers: Precautions, Influence, Strategic tools(Amazon.com 2022) This book is meant for anyone who might risk assaults or kidnapping. The book discusses how to avoid kidnapping and handle the challenges of captivity. A large number of practical and mental survival tools are presented. Application of social psychology vis a vis the kidnapper is discussed, as well as the Stockholm Syndrome and conduct during the release phase.

 Kidnapping survival (Amazon.com 2023) is an updated and expanded version of Surviving Kidnappers. In addition to the above topics, it includes the chapter Recovering after Kidnapping, which is a self-help guide.