Thomas Karv

Thomas Karv is a Senior Researcher and University Teacher at Samforsk, The Social Science Research Institute, within Åbo Akademi University's Faculty of Social Sciences, Business and Economics. Holding a PhD in Political Science with Mass Communication from 2019, his work focuses on regime support, democratic backsliding, and authoritarianism in post-communist Eastern Europe.

His research examines how local conditions affect political trust and corruption perceptions, particularly in minority contexts. He also investigates the relationship between populist attitudes and power concentration perceptions, alongside broader system support theories and global governance mechanisms.

• Regime support dynamics
• Democratic erosion indicators
• Political corruption analysis
• EU attitude variations
• Regional governance frameworks
• Political self-efficacy

As an elected member of Nykarleby's City Council and Board, he bridges academic research with practical governance. His teaching portfolio includes advanced EU institutions, political theory, and international relations at bachelor's level.