Background
Skarstein was born on 7 April 1940 in the village of Olden in Nordfjord in Western Norway.
Skarstein was born on 7 April 1940 in the village of Olden in Nordfjord in Western Norway.
He graduated as a chartered engineer at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (now part of Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet), with an emphasis on construction and building.
He continued his education and obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in social economy in 1974. He has worked at Chartered Management Institute in Bergen, later in Tanzania, and since 1980 he has worked for the University of Trondheim (UNiT) which is now part of Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet.
Developmental economy
Editor-in-chief for the journal «Vardøger» (tutelary deity) from its beginning.
Member of the Socialist Left Party and was twice inaugurated as a member of Trondheim City Council.