Democracy and Society
Research on social and political structures and healthcare in the Baltic Sea region. The goal is to strengthen democracy, improve the quality of life and overcome social challenges through sustainable development and international cooperation.
Innovations and policy mobilities in the rural Baltic Sea region
Project managers:
Responsibility and financing systems for services of general interest and regional development in rural areas of the Baltic Sea region
This sub-project investigates how different financing systems influence public services and regional development in rural areas of the Baltic Sea region. Particular challenges arise from low population density and limited municipal revenues. The research analyses the distribution of tasks, fiscal transfers and regional development policies and their effects on the security of supply.
financing models, municipal resilience, healthcare
Diffusion of innovations in services of general interest using the example of health care (completed)
The sub-project investigates the diffusion of innovations in healthcare in the Baltic Sea region. It analyses how different financing models and technological developments, particularly in the field of e-health, shape public services. It furthermore questions why innovations such as those in Estonia and Denmark are not being adopted everywhere.
innovation diffusion, healthcare, e-health
Rural entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea region
The project examines social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea region with a focus on rural areas. It analyses how social innovations contribute to overcoming structural challenges. It investigates how social entrepreneurs solve social issues with entrepreneurial approaches and how their impact can be measured.
social entrepreneurship, social innovations, regional development
Policy mobilities in the rural Baltic Sea region
The project examines policy mobilities in the Baltic Sea region with a focus on rural regions. It analyses the transfer of political knowledge, particularly in the areas of financing, healthcare and entrepreneurship. Influencing factors, barriers and the role of stakeholders are examined in order to improve regional development strategies.
urban policies, policy mobilities, regional governance
New Nationalisms
Project managers:
Prof. Dr. Cordelia Heß (until April 2025)
Prof. Dr. Marko Pantermöller
Prof. Dr. Stefan Kessler
From Tours and Poitiers to Jerusalem: Christian-European identity construction in the extreme right
The project analyses how right-wing populist and far-right movements in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Finland use historical events such as the Crusades or the Battle of Tours and Poitiers to construct a common European identity narrative. The focus is on how the “Clash of Civilisations” is ideologically processed in order to present modern nation states as part of an allegedly timeless struggle between Christianity and Islam.
late medieval religious cultures of the Baltic Sea region, interreligious contacts, clash of civilisations
“State feminism”
The post-doc project analyses how neo-nationalist movements use the term “state feminism” to delegitimise gender policies and family policies. It examines political narratives, strategies for gender-equitable spokespeople in four languages, and socio-cultural backgrounds.
state feminism, gender policies, language ideology
Gender and diversity strategies in military units
The project analyses the influence of new-nationalist politics on diversification strategies, especially in Denmark and Poland. It investigates whether anti-liberal narratives lead to the withdrawal of inclusive measures in military units or whether they act independently of political changes.
diversification strategies, military sociology, nationalism
“Sexualisierte Fremde”. Jew- and islamophobic rhetoric in the post-communist Baltic Sea region
The project analyses anti-Muslim stereotypes in the eastern Baltic Sea region and their historical parallels to antisemitic narratives. It investigates how these stereotypes are used for national self-assurance and for the rejection of common asylum policies within the EU.
xenophobia, stereotype research, nationalism
The history of anti-feminist arguments and discourses in north-eastern Europe
The PhD thesis analyses anti-feminist discourses in Russia since the 1990s with a focus on the Russian Orthodox Church as a (trans)national actor. It examines the links between religion, gender and nation in anti-gender mobilisations and their interaction with political power structures.
antifeminism, discourse analysis, Russian Orthodox Church
Impact Tool: Sociolinguistic assessment of impact conditions of framing on groups of young speakers in Estonia and Latvia
This work package investigates the receptiveness to new nationalist ideas in Estonia and Latvia, in particular by analysing nationalist framing strategies and their reflection in society. Sociolinguistic methods will be used to determine the awareness of such linguistic constructions in order to draw conclusions about their influence on political acceptance or rejection.
new nationalisms, neo-nationalism, framing, sociolinguistics
Young People Network for Balticness (YoPeNET)
Young People Network for Balticness (YoPeNET)
The project, which is supported by the Council of the Baltic Sea States, promotes the examination of discourses on identity formation in the Baltic Sea region. In summer schools and winter schools, students around the world learn about the region’s social horizons of meaning, including cultural memory, mobility, and an understanding of democracy.
Baltic Sea network research, regional identity building in the Baltic Sea region, cultural exchange