You will gain tools for understanding ongoing societal changes and knowledge of how key national and international political institutions function. As a political scientist, you can for example work in government agencies, municipalities, political parties and organisations, in the media or with research. Political Science at Södertörn is a small professional environment where you are visible and meet teachers who conduct research and take part in the public debate, for example as experts and commentators.

We offer courses in Political Science, Master’s and Doctoral programmes.

In our undergraduate courses you will acquire basic knowledge of political decision-making and power relations. You will be given tools to analyse political institutions and social changes in Sweden and the world. You will also deepen your knowledge of a number of themes - political philosophy, welfare policy, nationalism and international relations. You will also acquire basic knowledge of research methods.

The courses will also broaden and develop your knowledge of the theory of science and research methods. Through an elective thematic course, you will have the opportunity to specialise in a particular subfield, which you can then use as the basis for your independent essay.

Find out more about our courses taught in English.

Research

Our research focuses on current societal issues: democracy and authoritarianism, political parties, EU decision-making, citizenship policy, school policy, welfare and justice issues, memory policy, militarisation and security policy.

Our research addresses several of the major societal issues of our time, such as:

• How can the development and decline of democracy be explained?
• How should we understand the success and influence of populist right-wing parties?
• How can we explain the changes in migration policy in the Nordic countries and the EU?
• How do political parties choose their leaders?
• Why and how do young people get involved in politics?
• How are political decisions made and implemented in complex systems like the EU?
• What happens to citizenship, welfare and justice in times of social, economic and political stress?
• How do schools teach controversial issues?
• How are people’s memories of war shaped and how are memory policies managed in war-torn countries?
• What are the drivers of militarisation, technological development and security policy change?

Geographically, most of our research is focused on Eastern and Central Europe, Sweden and the other Nordic countries, and the EU system. Our research is largely conducted through national and international co-operation. We also regularly participate as experts in the media and in popular science contexts.

Find out more about our research projects and publications.

Collaboration

Lecturers and researchers in Political Science and International Relations participate as experts in the news media and comment on party and parliamentary politics in Sweden, Finland and Germany, the Middle East, migration policy, EU political developments, Swedish and European security policy, issues relating to the surveillance society and a wide range of other issues.