Major research programmes
An important part of the research at the Department of Political Science is conducted within five major research programmes.
The Swedish National Election Studies Program
The Swedish National Election Studies Program conducts research on elections, voters, and the state of Swedish representative democracy. Since 1956, the program has carried out election studies in connection with Swedish national elections, referendums, and elections to the European Parliament. The aim is to understand why voters vote the way they do and why elections produce the outcomes they do.
Read more on the programe website: Swedish National Election Studies
Quality of Government Institute (QoG)
The Quality of Government Institute (QoG) is one of the world’s largest research centres focusing on corruption and the quality of government. Its research examines the importance of reliable, impartial, non-corrupt, non-discriminatory, and competent public institutions. The institute also studies how governance affects areas such as health, the environment, social welfare, and poverty.
Read more on the institute’s website: The QoG Institute
Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem)
V-Dem is an international research collaboration that measures and analyses democracy around the world. The institute is based on a broad conception of democracy and distinguishes between several different principles of democracy, including electoral democracy, liberal democracy, participatory democracy, deliberative democracy, and egalitarian democracy.
Read more on the institute’s website: V-Dem
Governance and Local Development Institute (GLD)
GLD brings together researchers from around the world to explain the relationship between governance and local development. The research addresses questions of why some societies are better than others at providing security, education, healthcare, and other conditions necessary for human development.
Read more on the institute’s website: GLD
Centre for Environmental Political Studies (CEPS)
CEPS brings together research on environmental politics and environmental problems from social science and interdisciplinary perspectives. The research addresses topics such as climate policy, sustainable development, environmental opinion, natural resources, and energy policy.
Read more on the research environment’s website: CEPS