Amundsen is a political scientist focusing on political corruption, democratic institutionalisation, political economy, parliaments, and political parties. His main study areas are Angola, Malawi, Palestine, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Ghana. Amundsen earned his PhD in comparative African studies at the University of Tromsø in 1997. He was research director at CMI from 2000-2003, director of the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre from 2002-2006, and he has coordinated three CMI institutional cooperation programmes.