Morten Levin
{{Short description|Norwegian sociologist}}
Morten Levin, who passed away on {{death date and age|2023|4|23|1946|7|11|df=yes}}, was a Norwegian sociologist and Professor of Organization and Work Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He was formerly a Research Director at SINTEF and worked for the Royal Norwegian Defense Research Establishment and universities throughout Scandinavia and at Cornell University. His research focused on change in organizations, especially with a view to the importance of the interaction between technology and organization. He contributed to the epistemological and methodological basis of action research, and has published books and articles on organization and management, organizational development and action research.{{cite web |url=http://websterii.iot.ntnu.no/english/dbprofile.asp?id=54 |title=New Page 1 |accessdate=2011-04-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902050018/http://websterii.iot.ntnu.no/english/dbprofile.asp?id=54 |archivedate=2011-09-02 }}
Levin studied mechanical engineering and graduated with a master's degree in Operations Research and
Economics in 1971. In 1981, he earned a PhD (mag.art.) in sociology. He joined the then-University of Trondheim as an assistant professor in 1976, was promoted to associate professor in 1982 and full professor in 1992.{{cite web |url=http://www.iot.ntnu.no/ansatte/docs/cvmortenlevin.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2011-04-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723074954/http://www.iot.ntnu.no/ansatte/docs/cvmortenlevin.pdf |archivedate=2011-07-23 }}
He was a member of an international committee evaluating the entire Danish PhD education in 2006. He is a member of the editorial boards of Systemic Practice and Action Research, Action Research, Action Research International, Handbook of Qualitative Inquiry and Handbook of Action Research.
Views on Israel
Morten Levin, who was Jewish,{{Cite web |url=http://hit.hist.no/arkiv_folder/nr_14_24nov_2009/motstander.html |title=Akademisk |access-date=2011-04-05 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181125/http://hit.hist.no/arkiv_folder/nr_14_24nov_2009/motstander.html |url-status=dead }} was also a critic of Israel, and was one of the initiators of a petition that NTNU boycott Israel because he meant that "since 1948 the state of Israel has occupied Palestinian land and denied the Palestinians basic human rights".{{Cite web |url=http://www.akademiskboikott.no/opprop-mainmenu-34/14-oppropet/54 |title=Akademisk og kulturell boikott av Israel! - Claim to the boards of NTNU and HiST for academic boycott |access-date=2011-04-05 |archive-date=2011-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903135220/http://www.akademiskboikott.no/opprop-mainmenu-34/14-oppropet/54 |url-status=dead }} Together with Ann Rudinow Sætnan (an American-born Jewish Professor of Sociology at NTNU){{cite web |url=http://www.universitetsavisa.no/ua_lesmer.php?kategori=nyheter&dokid=4afbbeecd088f0.04544418 |title=Ann Rudinow Sætnan: An open letter in response to numerous media inquiries |accessdate=2011-04-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723184144/http://www.universitetsavisa.no/ua_lesmer.php?kategori=nyheter&dokid=4afbbeecd088f0.04544418 |archivedate=2011-07-23 }} and Rune Skarstein, he organized a conference on the Middle East conflict in 2009, attracting scholars such as Ilan Pappe, Stephen Walt and Moshe Zuckermann.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ntnu.no/info/israel-palestina.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-04-05 |archive-date=2011-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110409170327/http://www.ntnu.no/info/israel-palestina.pdf |url-status=dead }} Israel's embassy in Norway protested against the conference.{{Cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/news/all-star-team-of-israel-haters-at-norway-school-raises-concern-1.6716|title = 'All-star Team of Israel-haters' at Norway School Raises Concern|newspaper = Haaretz}} Alan M. Dershowitz used the conference as an example of Norwegian academia being "one-sided" and "anti-semitic" in a 2011 op-ed.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704474804576222561887244764?mod=rss_opinion_main|title=Norway to Jews: You're Not Welcome Here|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=29 March 2011|last1=Dershowitz|first1=Alan M.}} In a 2009 op-ed in Adresseavisen, Levin criticized the labelling of critics of Israel as "Anti-semites", describing it as the "daily dose of propaganda from pro-Israeli organizations and media".{{Cite web|url=http://www.adressa.no/meninger/article1309963.ece|title = Antisemittisme i Norge – skjelettet som ikke var i skapet|date = 15 April 2009}}
Selected publications
- Davydd Greenwood, Morten Levin, Introduction to Action Research: Social Research for Social Change, SAGE Publications, 2006
- Morten Levin, Researching Enterprise Development: Action Research on the Cooperation Between Management and Labour in Norway, John Benjamins Publishing Co, 2002
- Morten Levin, Roger Klev, Forandring som praksis: Læring og utvikling i organisasjoner, Fagbokforlaget, 2002
- Morten Levin, Nonverbal Communication Across Disciplines: Culture, Sensory Interaction, Speech, Conversation, John Benjamins Pub Co, 2002
References
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Category:Norwegian anti-Zionists
Category:Norwegian sociologists
Category:Academic staff of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology