Kira Vrist Rønn

Kira Vrist Rønn serves as Associate Professor and Section Head of International and Regional Politics at the Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. She leads significant research initiatives including the INTELHUB project funded by the Carlsberg Foundation and The Online Police Gaze project funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark.

Her research focuses on the ethical, technological, and democratic dimensions of security studies, with particular expertise in intelligence ethics, digital policing, open-source intelligence, and counterespionage. Rønn actively bridges theory and practice, drawing on her diverse professional background to cultivate insights that integrate practical security experience with robust theoretical frameworks.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on Scandinavian intelligence studies, examining how intelligence services can build, maintain, and restore legitimacy under conditions of confidentiality within Scandinavian culture characterized by high social cohesion and trust. She explores critical issues including intelligence ethics, police discretion in digital environments, and the feasibility of increased transparency and accountability mechanisms for intelligence services.

Scientific Awards and Funding:

• Carlsberg Foundation Semper Ardens: Accelerate Grant (DKK 4,980,800) for INTELHUB project (2021-2025)
• Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) funding for The Online Police Gaze project (2021-2024)

Rønn supervises PhD students including Melanie Hartvigsen (2022-2025) and teaches courses on Intelligence and International Security, Open Source Intelligence, and From Cold War Espionage to Cyber Wars. She previously served as Senior Lecturer at University College Copenhagen, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Copenhagen, Strategic Analyst with the Danish National Police, and PhD Fellow at the University of Copenhagen's Philosophy Section.

She actively organizes international conferences including the INTELHUB Conference on Intelligence Legitimacy (2024) and the IntelHub Book launch and conference (2024), establishing herself as a leading figure in Scandinavian intelligence studies.