Research

The Department of Political Science and Public Management is organised in sections. The researchers are associated with these sections, which cover both traditional research areas within political science and public management, but also more specific research areas that are unique to SDU. Currently, the department is organised into the following three sections:

• Section for Public Administration, Welfare and Politics (PAWP)
• Section for International and Regional Politics (IRP)
• Journalism (JOUR)

In addition to this, the staff are affilitated with a research group and/or one of five cross-disciplinary research centers cooperating with other departments, centres and partners within as well as outside of SDU:

Research Group for Public Administration

The purpose of the research group is to improve management and organization of the Danish public sector. We do this by (1) conducting high-quality research in topics within public administration, (2) providing high-quality research-based teaching and supervision in the Political Science programme and the two professional master programs in public management (Master i offentlig ledelse (FMOL) og Master of Public Management (MPM)), and (3) disseminate research-based knowledge to key stakeholder in or who have a connection to the public sector. The research group is a part of the Section for Public Administration, Welfare and Politics. For more information about the research group, please contact research group leader Mette Kjærgaard Thomsen or visit the webpage.

Danish Centre for Welfare Studies

Our interest is in welfare states and social policy: How do welfare states emerge? How do they work? What are the effects and consequences of welfare state policies? Several employees from the Section for Public Administration, Welfare, and Politics, together with colleagues from the Faculty of Humanities, are part of the Danish Centre for Welfare Studies. For further information about the center, please contact center leader Klaus Pedersen.

Center for War Studies

We conduct research on the changing characteristics of war and the relationship between war and peace. Several staff members from the Section for International and Regional Politics, along with colleagues from International Law and Cultural Studies, are part of the Center for War Studies. The center aims to enrich ideas and generate cross-sectional research projects i.e. in relation to NATO, the EU, the Arctic, drones and cyber-warfare. For further information about the center's research, please contact center leader Vincent Keating.

Centre for Border Region Studies

Our research applies an interdisciplinary approach to European border regions in the past and the present. Several employees from the Section for International and Regional Politics, along with colleagues from the Faculty of Humanities, are part of the Centre of Boarder Region Studies. The centre is located on Campus Alsion in Sønderborg. For further information about the section’s research, please contact center leader Steen Bo Frandsen.

Danish Centre for Rural Research

The Danish Centre for Rural Studies focus on understanding and improving life in rural areas. We collaborate with various academic environments and local actors to create knowledge for the benefit of people living and working in rural areas. The centre is based at SDU Esbjerg. For more information, please contact center leader Egon Noe for more information or visit the website for the Danish Centre for Rural Studies.

Centre for Journalism

The centre’s research is centred around two joined research networks, one is focussed on rhetoric and journalistic usage of language, the other on social, societal and political aspects of journalism. For further information, please contact center leader Peter Bro or visit the webpage for Centre for Journalism.