Research
The interdisciplinary research at the Stockholm Center for Global Governance focuses on questions about how global governance works economically, historically, legally, politically and psychologically.

Central themes
We live in an age where global governance is undergoing changes and facing challenges. There is both an increased need for joint problem solving and, at the same time, significant questioning of existing multilateral institutions. Researchers at the center are particularly interested in investigating why, how and with what consequences global cooperation is challenged by various actors at different levels.
Our research focuses primarily on sources, processes and consequences of contestation and also methods of enhancing global governance. These themes are addressed in four main policy areas, namely economy, environment, security and technology. The research aims to shed light on these issues and contribute to an increased understanding of the complex dynamics that affect global cooperation in today's society.

Theme 1: Sources of contestation
What factors contribute to the contestation of global governance? To what extent, how and why do such reasons for contestation vary across policy areas, countries and time periods? Questioning global governance can have several causes, including: the global power shift; democratic decline around the world; economic, social and political effects of globalization; and new forms of communication, which pave the way for polarization, misinformation and resistance to facts.
Research leader: Jonas Tallberg
Theme 2: Processes of contestation
How is the contestation of global governance expressed? To what extent, how and why do processes of contestation vary between policy areas, countries and time periods? In particular, our researchers examine attitudes, behaviors and discourses as they seek to identify the ways in which the contestation of global cooperation is manifested. Examples include declining citizen support for multinational institutions, states withdrawing from international agreements, and populist politicians expressing anti-globalist discourses.
Research leader: Lisa Dellmuth
Theme 3: Consequences of contestation
What are the effects of global governance contestation? To what extent, how and why do such consequences vary between policy areas, countries and time periods? The research within SCGG mainly pays attention to consequences in four areas: the institutions for global governance, the legitimacy of global governance, the effectiveness of global governance, and the distribution of costs and benefits from global governance.
Research leader: Mark Klamberg
Theme 4: Enhancing global governance
How should national and international actors respond to the increased contestation of global governance? Within this theme, researchers at SCGG engage in three types of forward-looking analysis: normative analysis, which studies how global governance should be improved; empirical analysis, which examines how global governance can be improved; and policy-oriented analysis, which uses workshops with practitioners to explore ideas and ways forward.
Research leader: Antoinette Scherz
You can find more information about our research via projects and activities.
Activities
The Stockholm Center for Global Governance organizes a series of events related to research on global governance:
- Research seminars, where the center's researchers present and discuss ongoing research.
- Research workshops, where the center's researchers gather to present and discuss research in specific areas.
- International conferences, where the center's researchers and leading international researchers gather to present and discuss research in specific areas.
- Guest lectures, where invited external researchers or practitioners lecture on themes within the center's area of interest.
See activities in the calendar
Visiting researcher program
The Stockholm Center on Global Governance offers a visiting researcher program for national and international researchers, including doctoral students. The program gives visiting researchers access to a fully equipped workplace, as well as a grant for travels to and from Stockholm.
The visiting researcher needs to conduct research aligned with the center's main research focus. As a visiting researcher at SCGG, you will participate actively in SCGG activities. There are two tracks.
Applications are accepted year-round and reviewed quarterly by our research committee.
Track 1: Senior researchers (after PhD)
We welcome researchers who would like to get involved in and contribute to our research environment, for example, by giving lectures and participating in seminars and events. Stays should have a length of approximately 1-9 months.
Please contact us at scgg@su.se if you are interested in the program. Applications for visiting scholar status should include the following material:
- Motivation letter (max 1 page)
- CV (max 2 pages)
- List of 10 most relevant publications (max 2 pages)
- Research plan with a brief outline of your intended project during your stay and how it relates to the centers activities. (max 2 pages)
Track 2: PhD students
We welcome PhD students who would like to get involved in our research school and center activities, for example, by participating in seminars and events. Stays should have a length of approximately 1-3 months.
Please contact us at scgg@su.se if you are interested in the program. Applications for visiting PhD student status should include the following material:
- Motivation letter (max 1 page)
- CV (max 2 pages)
- Confirmation from main advisor
- Research plan with a brief outline of your intended project during your stay and how it relates to the centers activities. (max 2 pages)
Seed Funding for Workshops
Are you planning to organize a workshop or outreach event relevant to global governance research?
Apply for Seed Funding for Workshops from SCGG
Research projects
- Commentary on the Law of the ICC
- Democracy, Autocracy, and International Cooperation (DEMCOOP)
- Digipatch-Moving from networked to patchworked society
- Does International Law Matter? The UN Security Council and State Actions
- GECCO (global environmental protests)
- Geopolitical Impacts on State and Stakeholder Views on Arctic Governance
- Hiding in Plain Sight? International Monitoring Missions in Authoritarian Regimes
- Knowledge Resistance
- Mistra Geopolitics
- Public-private sector interactions in climate adaptation
- Social Inequality and the Legitimacy of Global Climate Governance
- The Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence
- The Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence and its Democratic Challenges
- The impact of international NGO naming and shaming on states environmental policies, 1985-2020
- TRANSFORM2030 on transformative partnerships
Contact
Get in touch!
Last updated: November 28, 2024
Source: Stockholm Center on Global Governance