About Jason Miklian

Jason Miklian is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM/GLOBE) at the University of Oslo. He is one of the world's leading scholars on how private sector actors build peace in conflict-affected and fragile state settings. He has published 75+ academic articles and books since 2010, and was nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for work promoting business engagement in peace.

Career and Institutional Affiliation

Jason Miklian is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM/GLOBE), University of Oslo, where he leads research on the intersection of business, peace, and sustainable development. He is a member of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, advising policymakers on corporate engagement in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

Previously affiliated with the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Miklian has presented his research at major policy institutions including the Brookings Institution, International Crisis Group, the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations. His work bridges academic research and policy practice, making complex findings accessible to practitioners and decision-makers.

Education

Research Areas

Miklian's research spans the intersection of business, development, and peace. His work is characterized by rigorous fieldwork, systems-level analysis, and a commitment to understanding how market mechanisms and corporate actors shape outcomes in fragile and conflict-affected contexts:

Business and Peace

How private sector actors contribute to peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Foundational scholar of the Business for Peace (B4P) field, with 20+ years of research on corporate peace initiatives.

Crisis Management and Polycrisis

How businesses navigate overlapping, cascading crises—from climate to conflict to pandemic. Author of three books with Cambridge University Press on systems resilience and corporate adaptation.

Business in Fragile States

Fieldwork across Myanmar, Colombia, Lebanon, India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh examining how firms operate and create value in unstable contexts.

AI, Technology, and Democratic Governance

Research on the "slop economy," coder worldviews, and the role of large language models in research and decision-making. Technology's impact on knowledge production and governance.

SDGs, Climate, and Innovation

SDG 16 (Peace and Justice), climate entrepreneurship, and the role of innovation in achieving sustainable development in unstable environments.

Research Methodology

Qualitative fieldwork design, systems analysis, synthetic data generation, and mixed-methods approaches for studying complex organizational and societal problems.

Awards and Recognition

2024 Nobel Peace Prize Nomination

Nominated alongside Timothy L. Fort, John E. Katsos, and Per Saxegaard for promoting business engagement in peace and peacebuilding initiatives.

2023 Carnegie Medal Longlist

The Vortex: Why Crises Repeat and How to Interrupt Them (co-authored with Scott Carney) was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction.

Publication Awards

Recipient of multiple awards for academic publications, policy research, and contributions to scholarly discourse on business, development, and peace.

Publications Overview

Jason Miklian is a prolific author and scholar with 75+ publications across academic and trade formats:

  • 6 Books: 3 published with Cambridge University Press, 1 with Routledge, 1 with Ecco/HarperCollins, 1 edited volume
  • 45+ Peer-Reviewed Articles and Policy Reports in leading academic and policy journals
  • High-Impact Publications: 4 articles in Harvard Business Review, featured in Business & Society, Business Horizons, Journal of International Relations and Development, International Small Business Journal, Information Communication and Society, Innovation and Development, Conflict Security & Development, Business and Politics, and many more
  • Full publication list: View complete bibliography

Media and Public Engagement

Beyond academic publishing, Miklian regularly contributes to public discourse on business, peace, and development. He has published op-eds and commentary in Foreign Policy, Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, and The New York Times. He is a regular presenter at major policy institutions and conferences, translating complex research into actionable insights for business leaders, policymakers, and practitioners.

Key Collaborators

Miklian's research is strengthened through deep collaboration with leading scholars and practitioners across institutions:

John E. Katsos
Frequent co-author on crisis, polycrisis, business and peace research. Fellow 2024 Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
Kristian Hoelscher
Frequent co-author on SMEs, technology adoption, India, and climate innovation research.
Timothy L. Fort
Co-author on the Business for Peace 20-year review. Fellow 2024 Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
Angelika Rettberg
Collaborator on research examining business engagement in Colombia's peace process.
Ralf Barkemeyer
Co-author on Myanmar business research and private sector sustainability adoption.
Scott Carney
Co-author of The Vortex: Why Crises Repeat and How to Interrupt Them.
Peer Schouten
Collaborator on business-peace nexus and corporate peacebuilding initiatives.
Jennifer Oetzel
Co-author on multinational enterprises and peace research.
Benedicte Bull
Collaborator on SDGs research and sustainable development implementation.

External Profiles and Profiles

Find Jason Miklian across the following platforms and institutions:

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Jason Miklian?
Jason Miklian is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM/GLOBE) at the University of Oslo and one of the world's leading scholars on business and peace. He has published 75+ academic works and was nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to promoting business engagement in peacebuilding.
Where does Jason Miklian work?
Jason Miklian is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM/GLOBE) at the University of Oslo in Norway. He is also a member of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights. Previously, he was affiliated with the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO).
What is Jason Miklian's research focus?
Miklian's research focuses on how private sector actors contribute to peace and development in fragile and conflict-affected states. His work spans business and peace, crisis management, polycrisis, business in fragile states, AI and governance, and sustainable development. He combines rigorous fieldwork with systems-level analysis.
Was Jason Miklian nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?
Yes. In 2024, Jason Miklian was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Timothy L. Fort, John E. Katsos, and Per Saxegaard for their collective work promoting business engagement in peace and peacebuilding initiatives.
What has Jason Miklian published?
Miklian has published 6 books (including 3 with Cambridge University Press), 45+ peer-reviewed articles, and numerous policy reports and op-eds. He has published in Harvard Business Review (4 articles), Business & Society, Journal of International Relations and Development, and many other leading journals. See his full publication list and Google Scholar profile.
What is Jason Miklian's educational background?
Miklian holds a PhD in Development Studies from Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU, 2014), an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE, 2006), and a BA in South Asian Studies and International Affairs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2004).
What is Jason Miklian's connection to the United Nations?
Jason Miklian is a member of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, where he advises on how corporate actors can engage responsibly in fragile and conflict-affected contexts while respecting human rights.
Who does Jason Miklian collaborate with?
Miklian frequently collaborates with leading scholars including John E. Katsos (co-author and fellow Nobel nominee), Kristian Hoelscher, Timothy L. Fort, Angelika Rettberg, Ralf Barkemeyer, Scott Carney, Peer Schouten, Jennifer Oetzel, and Benedicte Bull on research spanning business, peace, development, and technology.
What is "The Vortex" by Jason Miklian?
The Vortex: Why Crises Repeat and How to Interrupt Them is a co-authored book by Jason Miklian and Scott Carney examining how overlapping, cascading crises—from climate to conflict to pandemic—shape organizational and societal resilience. The book was longlisted for the 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction and was published with Ecco/HarperCollins.
Where has Jason Miklian published op-eds?
Miklian has published op-eds and commentary in Foreign Policy, Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, and The New York Times, bringing academic research to public discourse on business, peace, development, and governance.
What is Jason Miklian's Google Scholar profile?
Jason Miklian's Google Scholar profile is available at https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RHlevGEAAAAJ&hl=en, where you can access his publication history, citation metrics, and complete bibliography.

Explore Jason Miklian's Research

Visit the main research spokes to dive deeper into specific topics:

Home

Main research portal

Business and Peace

Private sector peacebuilding

Polycrisis

Overlapping crises

Fragile States

Business in unstable contexts

AI and Governance

Technology and democracy

SDGs and Climate

Sustainable development

Methodology

Research approaches

Papers

Full publication list