For introduction and archive, see the web-page table of contents!

The frontpage includes "Recent Books" and then "Follow up Articles"

Recent books

Recent follow up texts

1. Talks / presentations/ comments

• Föreläsning om "Concerned scholarship", (2026 edition), till RETKOM, 17.02.26, UiO. PDF
• Kritiskt svar (tillsammans med prof Lars Rudebeck) på förslaget att mycket kraftigt skära ner  svenskt bistånd och lägga ner Sida:

  https://www.dagensarena.se/opinion/sandberg-har-fel-om-bistandet/

• Brief invited talk in the 21-02-2026 symposium on the “International significance
  of Kerala's development experience” in the 5th International Congress on Kerala Studies PDF

• Föredrag i Köpenhamn 01/12.2025: "Hvem kan genskabe en mere retfærdig verden? Samtale mellem Mogens Lykketoft og Olle Tørnquist" PDF
• Talk 21/10/25 at International Seminar on “Reimagining Decentralisation in Kerala” PDF
• Fredsarbetet och den konservativa nationalismen. Key note till Fredskonferensen i Oslo 24-25/10/2025. PDF
  
• "Vad går ny-nationalismen ut på?" PDF Lyssna&Lär, Kulturhuset Hav&Land, 20 mars 2025
• "Kan demokrater som vill hållbar utveckling underifrån lära något av Kerala?" PDFGerlesborgskollegiet 12 mars 2025
• K.K.George, I.S Gulati, I. Wallerstein memorial lectures Kerala November 2024. PDF
• New pod from Frontlines of Democracy, in Toronto:

https://sites.libsyn.com/463800/rescuing-social-democracy-with-olle-tournquist

• Right Wing Nationalism from the point of view of Global Politics and Development Studies PDF
• 'Can the Idea of Social Democracy be Rescued?' Frontlines of Democracy, Toronto 11-05-23 PDF
• 'The North-South Question for Swedish Social Democrats- Seven Phases', Rome,03-23PDF, PDF
• Presentation (on the need to internationalise Social Democracy) to seminar at DIIS, Cph, 1/2/23 on 'New Social Order:North South Learnings, PDF
• 'Efforts at Social Democracy and the Rise of Rightist Reaction'. PDFs for talk, S. Asia Institute, Heidelberg, 14/11/22.PDF
• Contribution to Round Table discussion on Indonesia in Oslo: Historical legacies: What Indonesia has overcome i its transition from authoritarian to more democratic rule, and what should now be done. PDF
• Dilemmas of coordination, between dominance and localism. Draft paper for comments only to International Webinar on ‘Grassroots Participation and Local Development: Learnings from the People’s Plan Campaign’ in Kerala (India) and ‘Batho Pele Initiative’ in South Africa, May 25-27, 2022. PDF  for commets only
• Lecture in Indonesia on citizenship, the case of Scandinavia

  https://youtu.be/k6472a6ZaQs;

  https://open.spotify.com/episode/4BcJ9pkbvlaD7TufE7aPW0?si=UrecZJM6TKCMKYcCXGBSug&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A72IR0AAGiUC6Oj7DoiUXQc

• Surabaya-lecture:'Social democracy in Indonesia?'20.08.2021. PDF
• Lecture and discussion 13-08-21: 'Kerala and democratic governance'.

  https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/MrWTvfAcNRvjkldkNpumwKvlL-GdiyVoOhSGZdrN-YvS04YK-heErBtotSdymw9-.6oqbTeGRoY9Xsczb

• Anförande Palmedagen 2021 PDF
• 'The absence of the Left and the crisis of Indonesian democracy', to panel discussion LP3ES-UNDIP 19.08.21. PDF
• Interview with OT in Jurnal Sejarah : Perbandingan Analisa Sejarah Menjadi Krusial untuk Membangun Gerakan Progresif Alternatif:

  Vol. 4 No. 2 (2021): Melihat Kembali Kekerasan 1965 dalam Historiografi Indonesia | Jurnal Sejarah

• Om diktatorn Marcos (Spotify pod)https://www.dropbox.com/s/ywyjy0v6hj7edj8/Diktatorer%20-%20Marcos%20-%20till%20Olle.mp3?dl=0

• Nomination of The Civil Disobedience Movement of Myanmar for the Nobel Peace Prize PDF

Sharing in Cape town

2. Publications / texts

• "Reinventing Internationalism Against Conservative Nationalism", Contribution to Festschrift for Joel Rocamora, final draft 15.03.26, PDF3
• Kritiskt svar (tillsammans med prof Lars Rudebeck) på förslaget att mycket kraftigt skära ner svenskt bistånd och lägga ner Sida:

  https://www.dagensarena.se/opinion/sandberg-har-fel-om-bistandet/

• Extensive review in Journal of Contemporary Asia of T.M.Thomas Isaac and Richard W. Franke Toppling the First Ministry: Kerala, the CIA, and the Struggle for Social Justice. Monthly Review, 2025. Manuscript: PDF
• In Norwegian on the Gen-Z-protests:

  https://klassekampen.no/artikkel/2026-02-25/generasjonsoppror-z/ML7M

• Kan man hoppas på Gen-Z revolterna? https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/kan-man-hoppas-pa-gen-z-revolterna/
• Democracy Renewal in Southeast Asia? Draft PDF
• Final draft: Development Studies and rise of conservative nationalism, to Forum for Development Studies PDF
• Svenska tillståndet i Norge:

  https://klassekampen.no/artikkel/2025-08-18/debatt-listhaugs-svenske-tilstander/zphr

• In memory of Jim Scott and why his work remains relevant: https://www.newmandala.org/james-c-scott-against-the-myopic-study-of-politics/ På svenska:

• https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/james-c-scott-mot-det-narsynta-studiet-av-politik/På norska:
• https://klassekampen.no/artikkel/2024-08-21/de-svakes-vapen/RzYt
• Sätt inte Palmes solidaritet mot nationell välfärd.

  https://www.dagensarena.se/opinion/satt-inte-palmes-solidaritet-mot-nationell-valfard/

• Slutreplik på Jonas Sjölanders kritik av ovanstående:

  https://www.dagensarena.se/opinion/inte-sjalvklart-att-krava-internationell-solidaritet/

• Vad ska vi göra med yttrandefriheten? Bohusläningen 21-11-23 PDF
• "Varför förfaller demokratin och stärks högernationalismen?" Review essay Dagens Arena om Pranab Bardhans "A World of Insecurity" PDF

  https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/varfor-forfaller-demokratin-och-starks-hogernationalismen/

  På norska:

  https://klassekampen.no/artikkel/2024-01-03/demokrati-i-utrygge-tider

• "Så enkelt var det inte". Recension av Vincent Bevins Jakartametoden.

  http://www.tidskriftenarkiv.se/index.php/hem/article/view/2000-6217.15.R4

• "Kulturkampen behöver inte vara ihålig",

  https://www.dagensarena.se/innehall/kulturkampen-behover-inte-vara-ihalig/

• https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/kan-den-socialdemokratiska-iden-raddas/'Can the idea of Social Democracy be rescued' (edited) PDF. In Kerala Economy 4:2 (2023)PDF

  https://agendamagasin.no/debatt/kan-den-sosialdemokratiske-ideen-reddes/

• 'Är demokratin, förvaltningen och domstolarna ett hinder för hållbar utveckling?' PDF
• 'Ukraine, Right-weing Nationalism and Globalisation' Jakarta Post26-27/11/22 PDF
• 'Ukraine, Right-Wingers and the Crisis of Democracy' The Hindu25/11/22 PDF
• 'Högernationalismen, Globaliseringen och Demokratins Kris'

  https://tidningenglobal.se/2022/nummer-454/hogernationalismen-globaliseringen-och-demokratins-kris/

• 'The Pole Star of Social Democracy is Burning Out, What Shall We Do Now?'

  https://cids.up.edu.ph/policy-brief/pole-star-social-democracy-burnt-out-what-should-we-do-now/

• Slutet på den liberala demokratin? Lärdomar från den Filippinska katastrofen. Dagens Arena Essä. https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/ar-detta-slutet-pa-den-liberala-demokratin-filippinerna/
• 'Hur kunde det gå så illa för Indonesiens demokrati?(& hur den motverkas av Västs sätt att bekämpa den ryska imperialismen) 30/04/22

  https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/hur-kunde-det-ga-sa-illa-indonesien-demokrati/ Also in Klassekampen May 5, 2022 PDFPDF

• "Socialdemokratin och Internationalism" i TIDEN 1-2022. PDF
• Motverka historierevisionismen i 'Dagens ETC'! PDF'Låt bli att förtala demokratin' i Aktuellt i Politiken 16-03-22 PDF
• 'The Missing New Indonesian Left', in 'New Mandala' and in Indonesian in 'Forum 100 Ilmuwan Sosial Politik LP3ES'. https://www.newmandala.org/part-1-the-missing-new-indonesian-left/ https://www.newmandala.org/part-2-the-missing-new-indonesian-left/
• 'Governance, Welfare-based Development and Covid-19: Sweden and Kerala in Comparative Perspective'. In Tharamangalam, and J. Chathukulam (eds), 'Cooperativism, Self-Management and Decentralised Development', (Routledge) Draft for comments only: PDF
• ‘Contribution to the Critique of “Social Democracy in one Country”’. PDFin Granadino, A. et al.(eds)Rethinking European Social Democracy and Socialism: The History of the (routledge.com)
• ‘Linking Public Action. Kerala's Challenges in Comparative Perspective.' In Chathukulam, J. and J. Moolakkattu (eds) 'Challenges to Local Governance in the Pandemic Era'.

  https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-8174-6/.

• (revised) ‘Linking Public Action. Kerala's Challenges in Comparative Perspective in the Years of the Pandemic' Economic and Political Weekly no 25, June 18, 2022. PDF
• with Patrick Heller:Making Sense of Kerala: A closer look at the social democratic experiment of India's southern State. The Hindu 13.12.2021 PDF
  
• På spaning efter ny socialdemokrati

  https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/pa-spaning-efter-ny-socialdemokrati/

• Socialdemokratin måste höja blicken

  https://www.sydostran.se/ledare/gastledare-socialdemokratin-maste-hoja-blicken-d2e84001Även i Klassekampebn 3/11/21

• Försvara demokratin i Sotenäs

  https://www.bohuslaningen.se/asikt/insandare/forsvara-demokratin-i-sotenas.bb931596-0795-4849-983d-427cc1c4e3be

• Demokratibiståndet behöver förbättras - inte ersättas' (med Lars Rudebeck).2021.09.05

  https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/demokratibistandet-behover-forbattras-inte-ersattas/

• 'Indien är inte bara elände, det finns ett alternativ'-Kerala' i Dagens ETC 23/6/21 PDF, PDF2i Klassekampen 19/6/21 PDFRough English translation: 'India is not just misery' PDF
• 'Nya lärdomar från ett gammalt folkmord'

  https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/nya-lardomar-fran-ett-gammalt-folkmord/

• Review of John Roosa's 'Buried Histories: The Anticommunist Massacres of 1965-1966 in Indonesia. John Roosa. Journal of Contemporary Asia.PDF https://doi.org/10.1080/00472336.2021.1904271
• ‘Challenges for Social Democracy in the South’. In Bratberg, Ø, Brandal, N. and Thorsen D.E. (Eds.). ‘Social Democracy in the 21st Century’ Comparative Social Research 35. OT's presentation Svenska PDF
• ‘Demokrati och fack i global rävsax’ https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/demokrati-och-fack-global-ravsax/
• ’Staten och den sociala kraften (kampen mot Covid-19 i Sverige & Kerala) https://www.dagensarena.se/essa/staten-och-den-sociala-kraften/
• ‘From irony of success to tragedy of failure’ Jakarta Post 30. 10.20 PDF
• Review of ‘Labour and Politics in Indonesia’ by Caraway, T. & Ford. M. Journal of Contemporary Asia (2020) https://doi.org/10.1080/00472336.2020.1861641 PDF
• ‘Homage to AE Priyono’. Jakarta Post 13. 04.20 PDF
• ‘In memoriam: Arief Budiman, architect of the democracy movement, Jakarta Post 26.04.20 PDF
• ‘Inåtvänd vänsterpolitik bakom Labours förlust’ https://www.etc.se/debatt/inatvand-vansterpolitik-bakom-labours-forlust
• ‘The rise and crumbling of reformist populism in Indonesia’ Jakarta Post 29-30.10.19 PDF
• ‘The legacies of the Indonesian counter-revolution: New insights and remaining issues’ Journal of Contemporary Asia (2019) PDF
• Juridiken kan inte ensam lösa miljötillstånden, politiken behövs också: fallet Smögenlax. Bohusläningen 13-11-19, PDF
• Öppet brev (m. Stefan Edman) till regeringen om Smögenlax, 13-11-19,PDF
• (med Britt Wall och Kjell Andersson Förstör inte det som gör vårt Bohuslän unikt | Bohusläningen (bohuslaningen.se)
• Lots of Votes – Little Voice: Indonesia’s 2019 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections',Pacific Affairs, 2019, volume-92-no-3, PDF
• How Long is Now? Of Indonesian reformasi and its belated reclaiming of the Cold War history. Forthcoming September 2019 in Kyoto Review PDF
• Book Review: Indonesia: Twenty Years of Democracy by J. S. Davidson, Cambridge Univ. Press; PCD Journal, Vol VII, 1, 2019,University of Yogyakarta, and The Philippine Journal of Public Policy: Interdisciplinary Development Perspectives(2018) PDF
• ‘Dilemmas of Labour and Populism in Indonesia’.In, Derichs, C., Andrea Fleschenberg, A., Sumrin Kalia, S. and Knorr, L. 'Local Responses to Global Challenges in Southeast Asia – A Trans-regional Studies Reader'. World Scientific Press. Draft: PDF