- The psychology of political violence
- Individual-level analysis of political violence
- Multi-level analysis of political violence
- Human evolution
Henrikas Bartusevičius
Research Professor
Email: henrikas@prio.org
Interests and experience
I conduct research on political violence, combining theories and methods from anthropology, behavioral economics, cognitive science, political science, and psychology. I currently lead a five-year project Adapted to War (AWAR) funded by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant). See project's website.
I joined PRIO in 2021 as a Senior Researcher. Since 2024, I have been a Research Professor at the Dep. of Peace and Conflict Dynamics. Before coming to PRIO, I held assistant professor/postdoctoral positions at the Department of Political Science, Aarhus University and the Department of Government, the University of Essex. I also held visiting researcher positions at the University of Oxford (Politics and International Relations), University of California, Santa Barbara (Psychological and Brain Sciences), and University of California, Los Angeles (Anthropology).
I received my PhD from the Department of Political Science, Aarhus University in 2014, and MA from the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University.
Latest publications
All of Henrikas Bartusevičius publications
Henrikas Bartusevičius et al. (2026)
Evidence from over 30 studies suggests the existence of evolved adaptations to war in humans
Evidence from over 30 studies suggests the existence of evolved adaptations to war in humans
Journal article in Open Research Europe
Lasse Laustsen et al. (2025)
What traits do citizens value in leaders during war? Experimental and panel-based evidence from Ukraine in 2022
What traits do citizens value in leaders during war? Experimental and panel-based evidence from Ukraine in 2022
Journal article in Political Science Research and Methods
Casper Sakstrup & Henrikas Bartusevičius (2024)
Group-Based Injustice, but Not Group-Based Economic Inequality, Predicts Political Violence Across 18 African Countries
Group-Based Injustice, but Not Group-Based Economic Inequality, Predicts Political Violence Across 18 African Countries
Journal article in Social Psychological and Personality Science
Ida Rudolfsen et al. (2024)
War and food insecurity in Ukraine
War and food insecurity in Ukraine
Journal article in World Development
Henrikas Bartusevičius et al. (2023)
Russia's attacks on civilians strengthen Ukrainian resistance
Russia's attacks on civilians strengthen Ukrainian resistance
Journal article in PNAS Nexus
Henrikas Bartusevičius, Florian van Leeuwen & Michael Bang Petersen (2023)
Political repression motivates anti-government violence
Political repression motivates anti-government violence
Journal article in Royal Society Open Science
Ida Rudolfsen et al. (2022)
War and Food Insecurity: New Survey Evidence from Ukraine
War and Food Insecurity: New Survey Evidence from Ukraine
Popular article in Political Violence at a Glance
Henrikas Bartusevičius & Florian van Leeuwen (2022)
Poor Prospects—Not Inequality—Motivate Political Violence
Poor Prospects—Not Inequality—Motivate Political Violence
Journal article in Journal of Conflict Resolution
Henrikas Bartusevičius et al. (2021)
The psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with anti-systemic attitudes and political violence
The psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with anti-systemic attitudes and political violence
Journal article in Psychological Science
Henrikas Bartusevičius (2021)
Physical strength predicts political violence
Physical strength predicts political violence
Journal article in Evolution and Human Behavior
Latest news
Friday, 29 May 2026
Looking for Horizon Europe partners? Explore PRIO’s new EU Matchmaking Guide
Looking for Horizon Europe partners? Explore PRIO’s new EU Matchmaking Guide
PRIO has developed a new EU Matchmaking Guide to support organisations preparing project proposals under Horizon Europe in identifying relevant researchers.
Monday, 5 Jan 2026
PRIO secures new funding for research on conflict, gender, security and human resilience
PRIO secures new funding for research on conflict, gender, security and human resilience
PRIO has recently secured several external research grants, highlighting strong confidence in the Institute’s research and its relevance to pressing global challenges.
Tuesday, 16 Dec 2025
PRIO receives new funding for a large-scale project on the human consequences of the war in Ukraine
PRIO receives new funding for a large-scale project on the human consequences of the war in Ukraine
PRIO has received new funding from the Swedish research foundation, Östersjöstiftelsen, for an interdisciplinary project involving scholars from Norway, Sweden and Ukraine, to study the human consequences of the war in Ukraine.
Sunday, 18 Aug 2024
PRIO Invites Journalists to Apply for Residence Linked to Groundbreaking Research
PRIO Invites Journalists to Apply for Residence Linked to Groundbreaking Research
PRIO hosts six research projects funded by prestigious grants for Europe’s most groundbreaking research. There is now an opportunity for journalists to spend 3-5 months at the institute and engage with these projects.
Thursday, 28 Oct 2021
Call for Applications: PostDoc Position at PRIO
Call for Applications: PostDoc Position at PRIO
PRIO invites applications for a 1.
Monday, 9 Aug 2021
Burden of Pandemic May Motivate Violent Protest and Antigovernment Sentiment
Burden of Pandemic May Motivate Violent Protest and Antigovernment Sentiment
The sometimes-violent antigovernment demonstrations that erupted during 2020 and 2021 were fueled in part by the spread of extremist ideologies, conspiratorial thinking, and political polarization.
Monday, 3 May 2021
Call for Applications: Postdoc Position with Project AWAR
Call for Applications: Postdoc Position with Project AWAR
PRIO invites applications for a Postdoc Position.
Thursday, 28 Jan 2021
New special issue on climate change and conflict
New special issue on climate change and conflict
The Journal of PeaceResearch has just published a new special issue on ‘Security implicationsof climate change’ (January 2021), guest edited by Nina von Uexkull and HalvardBuhaug.
Friday, 4 Sept 2020
Strong PRIO Performance in ERC Projects
Strong PRIO Performance in ERC Projects
This week we have received wonderful news from the European Research Council (ERC).
Thursday, 3 Sept 2020
Henrikas Bartusevičius Awarded ERC Starting Grant
Henrikas Bartusevičius Awarded ERC Starting Grant
We are happy to announce that Henrikas Bartusevičius will be joining PRIO in early 2021, and that he has also been awarded an ERC Starting Grant by the European Research Council.
Latest comments
Thursday, 25 Aug 2022
Війна і прагнення мати сильного лідера
Війна і прагнення мати сильного лідера
Wednesday, 13 Jul 2022
War and Food Insecurity: New Survey Evidence from Ukraine
War and Food Insecurity: New Survey Evidence from Ukraine
Tuesday, 31 May 2022
War and the Preference for a Strong Leader: Investigating What Kind of Leader Ukrainians Want
War and the Preference for a Strong Leader: Investigating What Kind of Leader Ukrainians Want
Wednesday, 30 Mar 2022
Как влияет террор на украинское сопротивление – сдерживает или усиливает? Данные опроса из осажденной Украины
Как влияет террор на украинское сопротивление – сдерживает или усиливает? Данные опроса из осажденной Украины
Saturday, 26 Mar 2022
Will Terror Deter or Motivate Ukrainian Resistance? Survey Evidence from Besieged Ukraine
Will Terror Deter or Motivate Ukrainian Resistance? Survey Evidence from Besieged Ukraine
Saturday, 26 Mar 2022
Чи терор стримуватиме чи спонукатиме українців до опору? Дані опитування в обложеній Україні
Чи терор стримуватиме чи спонукатиме українців до опору? Дані опитування в обложеній Україні
In the media
January 2024
PRIO researcher Henrikas Bartusevičius’ research into Ukrainian resistance was referenced in an article on Russia’s military strategy against Ukraine for 2024, by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and the website All News Press.
December 2023
PRIO Researcher Henrikas Bartusevičius’ research into Ukrainian resistance was referenced in an article on the website, World News.
PRIO started listing media appearances on profiles in 2023. Earlier media appearances may not be listed.
Work positions
2025–
Research ProfessorPeace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
2021–2025
Senior ResearcherPCDPeace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
2011–2012
Visiting ResearcherCSWPeace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)