Geir Lundestad Norwegian historian died at 78

Geir Lundestad was born on January 17, 1945, in Sulitjelma, Norway. He pursued his academic studies in history at two prominent institutions: the University of Oslo and the University of Tromsø. He completed his cand.philol. degree in 1970 and earned his doctorate in 1976.

Academic Career

Before becoming associated with the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Lundestad held various positions at the University of Tromsø between 1974 and 1990. These roles ranged from Lecturer to Professor. He has also been affiliated with the University of Oslo as an Adjunct Professor of International History.

Lundestad spent several years in the United States as a research fellow. He was at Harvard University from 1978 to 1979 and again in 1983. Additionally, he spent time at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., between 1988 and 1989.

Role at the Norwegian Nobel Institute

Lundestad served as the director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute until 2014, when Olav Njølstad took over. During his tenure, he also acted as the secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, although he was not a member of the committee itself.

Memberships and Accolades

He is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, an organization that recognizes outstanding contributions to science and academics.

Select Bibliography

Books

• International Relations Since the end of the Cold War. New & Old Dimensions in International Relations (Oxford, 2013)
• The Rise and Decline of the American "Empire". Power and its Limits in Comparative Perspective (Oxford, 2012)
• The American Non-Policy Towards Eastern Europe 1943–1947 (Oslo, New York City, 1975, reprinted 1978)
• America, Scandinavia, and the Cold War 1945–1949 (New York City, Oslo, 1980)
• East, West, North, South: Major Developments in International Politics Since 1945 (Oslo - Oxford, multiple editions)
• The American "Empire" and Other Studies of US Foreign Policy in Comparative Perspective (Oxford - Oslo, 1990)

Edited Volumes

• Beyond the Cold War: New Dimensions in International Relations (edited with Odd Arne Westad, Oslo - Oxford, 1993)
• The Fall of Great Powers, Peace, Stability, and Legitimacy (Oxford - Oslo, 1994)
• No End to Alliance. The United States and Western Europe: Past, Present, and Future (Macmillan 1998)

Articles and Chapters

• "Empire " by Integration: The United States and European Integration 1945–1997 (Oxford, 1998)
• 'Imperial Overstretch', Mikhail Gorbachev, and the End of the Cold War (2000)
• “The Nobel Peace Prize” in Agneta Wallin Levinovitz and Nils Ringertz, eds., The Nobel Prize. The First 100 Years (London – Singapore, 2001)

Others

• War and Peace in the 20th Century and Beyond (edited with Olav Njølstad, Singapore, 2002)
• The United States and Western Europe Since 1945: From “Empire” by Invitation to Transatlantic Drift (Oxford, 2003)
• Just Another Major Crisis? The United States and Europe Since 2000 (Oxford, 2008)

Geir Lundestad has made significant contributions to the fields of history and international relations, and his work continues to be highly regarded in academic circles.