Department of Political science

The Department of Political Science is the largest department of the faculty, educating political scientists-analysts with a wide-ranging orientation who are able to adapt their knowledge in the academic and practical spheres.

The major research areas of the Department of Political Science are: national minorities, the impact of ethno-political conflicts on international relations, national and international security and human rights protection, European studies.

Bachelor degree programmes

Political science (taught in Lithuanian)
World Politics and Economy (taught in English)

Master degree programmes

Diplomacy and International Relations (taught in English)
Contemporary European Politics (taught in Lithuanian)

Andžej Pukšto

Head of the department, associated professor

Fields of academic interests

Political tradition and political systems of Central and East Europe countries; post-socialist transformations; ethnic relations, rights of ethnic and national minorities; national and foreign policy of Russian Fedaration; common foreign and security policy of the European Union

Email: andzej.puksto@vdu.lt

Milena Antanavičienė

Administrator

Email: milena.antanaviciene@vdu.lt

Algis Krupavičius

Professor

Fields of academic interests

Comparative politics, political sociology, public policy, quantitative and qualitative research methods

Email: algis.krupavicius@vdu.lt

Ingrida Unikaitė Jakuntavičienė

Associate professor

Fields of academic interests

Election studies, political campaign communication, political mediatization, political finance, political leadership, citizenship and migration politics, the EU politics, euroscepticizm

Email: ingrida.unikaite-jakuntaviciene@vdu.lt

Giedrius Česnakas

Lecturer

Fields of academic interests

Energy security and energy policy, foreign policy of the republic of Lithuania, foreign and security policy of Russia, geopolitics

Email: giedrius.cesnakas@vdu.lt

Gintarė Žukaitė

Lecturer

Fields of academic interests

Latin American studies, human rights, social movements

Email: gintare.zukaite@vdu.lt

Antanas Kulakauskas

Professor

Fields of academic interests

Modern political and social history; Nationalism; International and National Security; Democracy, political participation and local self-government

Email: antanas.kulakauskas@vdu.lt

Gerda Jakštaitė

Lecturer

Fields of academic interests

US foreign policy, US-Russian relations, Lithuania‘s foreign policy, Euro-Atlantic relations, international security, international relations.

Email: gintare.zukaite@vdu.lt

Andrius Švarplys

Lecturer

Fields of academic interests

Political sociology, european and national identities, political and social developments in Lithuania after post-communist transformations, postmodern social theory.

Email: andrius.svarplys@vdu.lt

Sima Rakutienė

Lecturer

Fields of academic interests

International institutions and institutionalisms, institutions of the European Union, EU’s neighbourhood, foreign, development policy, regional and inter-regional cooperation in the Baltic sea region and Eastern Europe.

Email: sima.rakutiene@vdu.lt

Gintaras Šumskas

Lecturer

Fields of academic interests

Comparative politics, elections, electoral behaviour, political communication, political marketing, economic voting, political economy.

Email: gintaras.sumskas@vdu.lt

Alpo Rusi

Professor

Fields of academic interests

The international system, its history and change factors; Foreign and security policy,history,theories, decision making; the EU as a security policy factor. crisis management ,peace negotiations; Russia History,Finnish-Russian relations, history of war and warfare

Email: alpo.rusi@vdu.lt

Mindaugas Norkevičius

PhD student

Fields of academic interests

International Relations; regions and regionalism; organization of diplomatic service; politics of Eastern and Central Europe; political analysis and methodology; ethnicity studies; political communication; public relations; risk and crisis communication

Email: mindaugas.norkevicius@vdu.lt