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

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

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

IEVA KARPAVIČIŪTĖ
Lecturer, PhD in political science
Fields of academic interests
International relations, security studies, regional security, international regimes, foreign policy analysis, public diplomacy
Email: ieva.karpaviciute@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

dr. Mindaugas Norkevičius
Lecturer
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

Justinas Juozaitis
PhD student
Fields of academic interests
Intergovernmental organizations, small states, energy security, international relations theories, Lithuanian foreign, security and energy policies
Email: justinas.juozaitis@vdu.lt

Brigita Lokė
PhD student
Fields of academic interests
International political economy, conflicts and intervention, security
Email: brigita.loke@vdu.lt

Charles Szymanski
Professor
Fields of academic interests
International law, comparative labour law
Email: charles.szymanski@vdu.lt

Visvaldas Legkauskas
Associate professor
Fields of academic interests
Self-awareness, identity, relationship satisfaction, social influence and manipulation, development of social competence
Email: visvaldas.legkauskas@vdu.lt

Aušra Rimaitė
Lecturer
Fields of academic interests
Political Sociology, Political Campaigns, Research Methods
Email: ausra.rimaite@vdu.lt

Antanas Venckus
Lecturer
Fields of academic interests
International relations, International organizations, Diplomacy, International economy, Conflicts and security studies.
Email: antanas.venckus@vdu.lt

DONATAS VAINALAVIČIUS
Lecturer
Fields of academic interests
EU Common Security and Defence Policy, Arms Control and Nonproliferation, International Crisis Management.
Email: donatas.vainalavicius@vdu.lt
- Department of Political science
- Dean’s office
- Department of Regional Studies
- Department of Philosophy and Social Critique
- Department of Public Administration
- Department of Public Communication
- Czezlaw Milosz centre
- Andrei Sakharov Research Centre for Democratic Development
- Northern European and Baltic Study Hive