Lisa Sølvberg holds a PhD in sociology. Her research interests center on elites, social inequality, cultural class analysis, and recruitment processes.

Her doctoral project – How the Elite Hire: Cultural Distinctions and Moral Boundaries in Norwegian Upper-Class Recruitment – examined hiring practices in elite firms and the aspects that shape evaluative judgments. The study combined content analysis of job advertisements, observations of recruitment processes, and interviews with employers.

Starting in 2026, she will participate in a project on non-users within and outside the established cultural sphere.

Previously, she wrote a master’s thesis titled The Classed Body, exploring how men from the Norwegian upper class evaluate themselves and others in relation to exercise, nutrition, and body ideals – and how these evaluations reproduce social inequality.

Expertise

Education

• PhD in Sociology, University of Bergen, 2025
• MA in Sociology, University of Bergen, 2017
• BA in Sociology, University of Bergen, 2015
• BA in Media Studies, University of Bergen, 2013

Work Experience

• Visiting Scholar, Management & Organizations Department (MORS), Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Jan–June 2023
• Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Sociology, University of Bergen, Jan 2022–present
• University Lecturer/Course Coordinator for MET102, University of Bergen, Aug 2019–Dec 2021
• Research Assistant/Course Coordinator for MET102, University of Bergen, Aug 2017–Aug 2019
• Seminar Instructor in MET102, University of Bergen, Aug 2016–May 2017
• Seminar Instructor in SOS116, University of Bergen, Jan–May 2016

Service and Pro Bono

• Participant, Research Grand Prix, Summer/Fall 2024
• Research Liaison, Olsvikåsen Upper Secondary School, Holberg Prize in Schools, Winter/Spring 2024
• Member, Department Council, Department of Sociology, University of Bergen, Aug 2023–June 2025
• Deputy Member, Gender Equality Committee, University of Bergen, May–Dec 2022
• Reviewer: Acta Sociologica, American Journal of Sociology, British Journal of Sociology, Cultural Sociology, Current Sociology, Critical Sociology, European Societies
• Deputy Member, Department Council, Department of Sociology, University of Bergen, 2022
• Project Assistant for Marit Skivenes, Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism, University of Bergen, 2019
• Chair, Norwegian Sociological Association – Western Norway Chapter, June 2018–Dec 2020
• Board Member, Norwegian Sociological Association – Western Norway Chapter, Jan–May 2018

Scientific presentations

'The Balancing Act of Elite Recruitment: Converting Modesty to Membership in Norwegian Hiring Processes', American Sociological Association's Annual Meeting, Elites section, Chicago, August 9th 2025. 

'The Meanings of Modesty: Capitalizing on "elitist modesty" in Norwegian High-Status Hiring Processes', workshop, Centre for the Study of Professions (SPS), OsloMet, Oslo, September 4th 2024.

'The Meanings of Modesty: Capitalizing on "elitist modesty" in Norwegian High-Status Hiring Processes', Kultur-, ulikhet- og demokratinettverket (KUD), Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen, Bergen, August 21st 2024.

'The Meanings of Modesty: Capitalizing on "elitist modesty" in Norwegian High-Status Hiring Processes', Microsociological Workshop, Soria Moria hotell, Oslo, August 12th 2024.

‘Sports and health (e)valuations in elite hiring’, Qualitative Workshop, Management & Organizations Department, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, October 31st 2023. 

‘Sports and health (e)valuations in elite hiring’, Kultur-, ulikhet- og demokratinettverket (KUD), Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen, Bergen, September 20th 2023. 

‘Sports and health (e)valuations in elite hiring’, workshop, Centre for the Study of Professions, OsloMet, Oslo, August 21st 2023.

‘From Symbolic to Social Boundaries: Investigating What People Say Versus What People Do in Elite Hiring Processes’, Culture & Ethnography Workshop, Department of Sociology, Northwestern University, Evanston, May 11th 2023.

'From Symbolic to Social Boundaries: Investigating What People Say Versus What People Do in Elite Hiring Processes', Chicago Ethnography Conference, Loyola University, Chicago, April 15th 2023. 

'Elite sorting in an "egalitarian" society', Professions, authority and meritocracy workshop, Nedre Foss gård / Centre for the Study of Professions, OsloMet, Oslo, December 5th 2022.

'Elite Sorting in an “egalitarian” society', Bourdieu, Work & Inequalities conference, National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts, Paris, November 16^th 2022.

'Elite sorting in an “egalitarian” society', Elites, Power and Inequalities summer school, Observatory of Swiss Elites, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lausanne, June 24^th 2022.

'Gatekeeping mechanisms in the workforce: The importance of class, culture and lifestyle in recruitment processes in the Norwegian upper class', Norwegian network for research on class, NOVA, OsloMet, april 20th 2022.

'The Class(ifi)ed Body: Carnal Distinctions in the Upper Class', Vinterseminaret, Norwegian Sociological Association, Hafjell, February 2nd 2018 (with Vegard Jarness, UiB). 

Features

"Kom i mål ni månader før tida", intervju, Khrono (01.11.2025).

"Sports stars tackle new challenges at business school", mention, Financial Times (08.10.2025).

"Athletic applicants have an advantage" (Original: "Sportieve sollicitanten zijn in het voordeel"), interview, Het Financieele Dagblad (04.10.2025).

"Does an Athletic Past Give Job Applicants a Lift?", article, Kellogg Insight (14.07.2025).

"Kropp, klasse og karriere: Idrett som adgangsbillett til eliten", interview, Sosiopodden, podcast UiB (14.05.2025)

"I disse bransjene prates det om sport i 80 prosent av jobbintervjuene", interview, Bergens Tidende (24.03.2025)

"Vi menn", omtale, Norsken, svensken og dansken (podcast), NRK radio (22.03.2025)

"Legerekruttering og idrett", intervju, Nyhetsmorgen, NRK radio (21.03.2025)

"Favoriserer jobbsøkere som er god i idrett", interview, Dagsnytt 18, NRK TV / radio (17.03.2025)

"Sporty jobbsøkere favoriseres", interview, Nyhetskompaniet, TV2 Nyheter (13.03.2025)

"Lettere å få jobb i advokatbransjen dersom du driver med organisert idrett på høyt nivå, ifølge fersk studie", omtale, Advokatbladet.no (13.03.2025)

"Favoriserer sporty jobbsøkarar: - Overraskende", intervju, NRK.no (13.03.2025)

"Favoriserer idrett i jobbintervju", intervju, Nyhetsmorgen, NRK radio (13.03.2025)

"– Det hjelper ikke å være skoleflink hvis du ikke kan snakke godt om været og helgeplaner", intervju, Kifinfo (18.12.2024).

"200 år med tanker – episode 3: toppjobbene", University of Bergen (Instagram) (21.10.2024).

"– Ganske skummelt og veldig lærerikt", Avisa Hordaland (27.09.2024).

"Disse UiB-stipendiatene skal delta i årets Forsker Grand Prix", University of Bergen (23.09.2024).

"Møt årets UiB-finalister i Forsker Grand Prix", University of Bergen (Facebook) (17.09.2024).

"Hva skal til for å sikre seg en stilling i de mest innflytelsesrike firmaene og institusjonene i Norge?", Forskningsdagene i Bergen (Instagram) (18.09.2024)

Forsker Grand Prix, Forskningsdagene i Bergen (september 2024) 

"Tilgang til eliten – Symbolske skillelinjer", interview, Sosiopodden, podcast UiB (30.05.2024)

"Slik blir du sentralbanksjef", Morgenbladet (07.01.2022). 

"The soft skills that help elite men achieve financial jobs", eFinancialCareers (30.11.2021).

"«Jeg pleier å legge inn en styrkeøkt mellom to begravelser». Møt supermosjonistene som gjør alt for å få inn en ekstra treningsøkt", interview, DN Magasinet (09.01.2021).

"Ein veltrena kropp gir menn fortrinn i karrieren", interview, Kilden kjønnsforskning (26.04.2018).

Other presentations

'Sosiologisk ferskvare', panel discussion, Norsk sosiologforening avdeling Vestlandet, Det Akademiske Kvarter, October 30th 2025.

'Recruitement to the elite: criteria, assessments and decisions', Likestilt arbeidsliv [Equal working life] at Agder county municipality, digital presentation, April 9th 2024. 

'Recruitement to the elite: criteria, assessments and decisions', Sammen Karriere, digital presentation, Bergen, November 1st 2024. 

'Class and inequality: Hiring in the Norwegian elite", talk at Forsker Grand Prix, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, September 25th 2024. 

'How the Elite Hire: Class, Culture, and Lifestyle in Recruitment Practices in the Norwegian Upper Class', lecture at «Teacher's Day», Sydneshaugen skole, University of Bergen, January 26th 2024. 

'How the Elite Hire', presentation for Communitas – the student organization for sociology at UiB, University of Bergen, November 6th 2023. 

'Sosiologi: hva, hvorfor og hvordan', Open day, Ulrike Pihls hus, UiB, January 21st 2019.

'Masteroppgaven og masterprosessen', introduction for the new Master's students, Department of Sociology, UiB, August 23rd 2018 (with Caroline Lotten Söderlind, UiB). 

'Sosiologien i arbeid', Career Lunch - What Can You Become as a Sociologist?, Det Akademiske Kvarter, April 26th 2018. 

Teaching:

SOS304: Methods – Qualitative Adaptions, University of Bergen, fall 2023 (lecturer, 'Introduction to qualitative methods', 'Observation and documents').

SOS322: Work, Class and Education, University of Bergen, fall 2022-2023 (lecturer, 'Class, recruitment and hiring processes').

SOS103: Social Structure and Social Change, University of Bergen, fall 2024 (lecturer, 'Social and cultural processes: Class, gender and culture').

SOS100A: Introduction to Sociology with Specialization, University of Bergen, fall 2022-2023 (lecturer, 'Social class' and seminar leader).

SOS116: Class, Stratification and Social Mobility, University of Bergen, spring 2022 (lecturer, 'Class analysis and symbolic boundaries').

MET102: Methods in the Social Sciences, University of Bergen, autumn 2020 (lecturer, 'Sources, data and research design. Qualitative research interviews', 'Qualitative content analysis and analysis of qualitative data').

MET102: Methods in the Social Sciences, University of Bergen, autumn 2016 - 2021 (seminar leader).

SOS116: Class, Stratification and Social Mobility, University of Bergen, spring 2016 (seminar leader).

Supervision:

2020-present: 7 bachelor's students. 

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

2025. "Physical Fit: The Role of Sports in Elite Hiring in Norway". British Journal of Sociology (co-authored with Rivera, L.).

2021. "Constructions of the Ideal Elite Employee: A Content Analysis of Job Advertisements for Positions in the Norwegian Upper Class". Current Sociology. 

2019. "Assessing Contradictions: Methodological Challenges when Mapping Symbolic Boundaries". Cultural Sociology (co-authered with Jarness, V.)

2018. "Class, Body and Culture: Physical Activity and Symbolic Boundaries in the Upper Class". Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning (co-authered with Jarness, V.)

2017. The Classed Body. Taste and Distaste in the Norwegian Upper Class. Master thesis, University of Bergen.