TFF Associates & Themes Blog

Jens-Jørgen Nielsen became TFF Associate in May 2014

jensjorgenmeister@gmail.com

Basic facts
Nationality: Danish
Married status: Married with 2 children to Yelena since 1992 (She is Russian, born in Estonia).
Current employment: Assistant professor with Niels Brock Department for Business Studies.
Besides I run my own small business as consultant in the field of managing culture clashes and conflict management and consultant for Danish export firms. Moreover I am the author of several books, the latest being: På egne præmisser – Putins nye Rusland (On its own terms – Putin´s New Russia).
Date of Birth: 12.09. 1949

Work experience
2000-2008 : Consultant with FOA. Main field of activity: Analysis of welfare development and information service, international contacts etc.
2007-08: Analysis of the Polish labour market and social development.
2000: Project in Montenegro: Trade Union project, in cooperation with the Danish LO (Trade Union Central Organization). My responsibility: To help build and develop the organization.
1998:-1999: Project manager on the project: Enemy Images, Responsibility of Journalists in Conflict Situations. Participants: Journalists from Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Gaza and Palestine (in cooperation with Brenderup Folkehøjskole and Herbert Pundik, Editor of the Danish daily: Politiken).
1997-2000: Correspondent in Moscow for the Danish daily Politiken, covering political, economic, social and cultural development in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other former countries of the Soviet Union.
1992-1997: Senior expert, attached to the Royal Danish Embassy in Tallinn. Main tasks: Project leader of integration projects for local Russian politicians and trade unionists in the North Eastern part of Estonia (Estonian language studies, cross cultural skills, democratic values, psychology, civics, labour market training etc.). Also: advisor on adult education systems development in various parts of Estonia.
1991: Research on a book with the topic: Non-Russian Soviet Peoples. The book was published in 1992 and titled: “Vi er ikke russere” (We are not Russians).
1985- 1991: Teacher at Danish “Folkehøjskoler”, a kind of peoples´ colleges. I taught mainly International Affairs, and for several years my pupils were mostly foreigners from Africa, former Soviet republics, Poland and other countries. From the beginning of the perestroika period (from 1985) I led groups travelling in the USSR.
1981-1985: Various workplaces primarily at Danish Gymnasiums. Subjects: History, Civics, philosophy and Religion.

Education
1969: Graduated from Fredericia Gymnasium (Modern Languages)
1981: Graduated from Aarhus University Cand. Mag. Master of Arts in History (MA Thesis: Angola, Decolonization and Independence, and Bachelor of Arts: Philosophy (Special interests: S. Kierkegaard, F. Dostoevsky, F. Nietzsche and Karl Marx).
1989: Russian language study in Moscow
2005: Polish language course in Cracow.
2009-10: Conflict Management and Mediation. At: Danish Centre for Conflict Resolution.

Publications – only books
På egne præmisser – Putins nye Rusland (On its own terms – Putin´s New Russia). 2013 (2. ed. 2014).
Polen – et land I forandring. (Poland – a changing country). 2012.
EU og arbejdsmarkedet, social og demokratisk garant eller blålys? (EU and the Labour Market, Social and Democratic Security or Pie-in-the-sky)?). 2012.
Polske Paradokser. (Polish Paradoxes) 2008. Introduction to Recent Polish Social History.
Ed.: Velfærd på aktier. (Welfare on shares). 2004 (Introduction to a debate about privatisation of the public sector).
Sejret ad helvede til? (Victory like Hell?) (Danish Labour Movement and its new challenges) 2003.
Østudvidelsen under overfladen. (Behind the EU Enlargement) 2002. (Analysis of the EU adjustment process in Estonia, Poland, former GDR and Portugal).
Ed.: Grænser for Velfærd. (Limits to Welfare) 1999. (Introduction to a debate about welfare development, including an introduction to the neo-liberal reforms in New Zealand 1984 -1999).
Vi er ikke russere. (We are not Russians) 1992. (Introduction to the Non-Russian Soviet Peoples).
Bryd kun fortids møre mur. (Break the Crumbling Wall of the Past) 1990. (Danish Labour Movement History after 1945).
Til skærm i vor nød. (Shield in Need) 1989. ( Danish labour movement history before 1945)
Magt og Afmagt. (Power and Powerlessness) 1984 (Danish History of power structures).
Fra Stenøkse til Datamat. (From Stone Axe to Computer) 1983 (Danish history of technology).
Angola efter selvstændigheden. (Angola after Independence). 1982. (The decolonization process in Angola 1975-1980).

Interests and other activities
Occasionally I work as a tour leader, interpreter and guide, mainly in Russia, but also in Poland, Estonia, Morocco, Northern Ireland and the like.
I am a football fan, opera lover, world music listener, reader of books mainly on culture, history and psychology, I love cooking etc.
For more than 20 years I have been constantly learning new languages. It is a fascinating way of learning new ways of thinking and acquiring insight into other cultures. I would say that Russian has become my most important language, it is the home language for me and my wife, as I have a deep knowledge and admiration especially of Russian culture.
Finally I am an enthusiastic votary of Martial arts, I have made it to the black belt of Taekwondo and I also have the brown belt (next to the black) of Kyokushin Karate.

Language skills
English: fluent, working language
Russian: Fluent, working language
German: Fluent, working language
Scandinavian languages: High level of understanding
Polish: Above middle level, good reading and talking skills
French: Middle level, good reading skills
Estonian: Basic level
Ukrainian: Basic mainly passive level

Contact
Jens Jørgen Nielsen
Bæktoften 74
2680 Solrød Strand
56131372
Mobiltelefon: +45 26723111
E-mail: jensjorgenmeister@gmail.com