Department of Political Science

I am specialized in Russian foreign policy. Currently, my research agenda primarily focuses on the implementation of what I define as Russia's disruptive foreign policy. March 15 2019, I defended my Ph.D. dissertation The Russian Quest for Ontological Security examining the role of the Kosovo and Ukraine crisis for the reconstruction of Russia’s post-Soviet national identity. A copy of the dissertation can be downloaded here: http://politica.dk/politicas-phd-serie/jonas-gejl-pedersen/

Research

My research primarily focus on two aspects of Russian foreign policy. (I) The first aspect focuses on the dynamic interrelation between national identity and foreign policy in Russia after the Cold War. Particularly, how Russian elites use foreign policy crises to reconstruct national identity and subsequently revise foreign policy. (II) The second aspect focuses on how Russian foreign policy is developing increasingly disruptive. I define disruption as a second-best strategy. Knowing Russia does not have sufficient means and resources to realize its foreign policy goals, Russian decision-makers focuses on hindering other states from realizing their foreign policy goals. Particularly, I focus on how the disruptive foreign policy is implemented (e.g., mobilization of pro-Russian groupings) throughout the post-Soviet area. 

Teaching & thesis supervision

My teaching focuses on foreign policy analysis. Particularly, foreign policy analysis based on theories about national identity, strategic culture or ontological security. Currently, I am developing a new course about how to map and analyze the importance of diplomatic practices for implementing and conducting foreign policy.

I supervise master's theses in International Politics. Particularly theses inquiring about foreign policy trends and events with a theoretical starting point in ontological security, practice theory, strategic culture and national identity. I am a methodological and methodical pluralist, but my primary competences are within qualitative and interpretive methods. Besides Danish foreign policy, I have primarily examined Soviet and Russian foreign policy.

Updated CV is available here: Curriculum vitae