Elisabeth Bakke

Elisabeth Bakke is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Oslo, where she has been affiliated since the 1990s. She earned her Cand. polit. in 1989 and Dr. polit. in 1999, and became a full Professor in 2022 after serving as Associate Professor since 2005. She led the Bachelor's program in European Studies until 2017 and the PECOS program from 2017-2020.

Her research focuses on comparative politics with special emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe, particularly the Visegrád countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary). She has published extensively on political transitions, democratic backsliding, nationalism, party systems, political elites, and EU politics. Her work often examines how historical legacies shape contemporary political developments in post-communist societies.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent scholarly trajectory examining democratic challenges in Central Europe, with particular attention to elite representation, party system developments, and the relationship between national identity and supranational integration. Her work combines historical perspective with contemporary political analysis, often using comparative methodologies across the Visegrád region.

Professor Bakke maintains an active scholarly presence through her personal website where she tracks elections across Central Europe and publishes timely analyses of political developments. She teaches courses on EU politics, nationalism, and post-communist political transitions at the University of Oslo.