Research profile

Christian Albrekt Larsen (CAL) has specialised in the question of how to build social coherent societies in open economies and multicultural settings. The academic work of CAL demonstrates that the institutional structure behind the “Nordic model” still provides a promising answer to this fundamental question of social science. Internationally CAL is known for his work on how institutions, especially universal welfare schemes, enhance public support for anti-poverty policies and social trust. In 2006 CAL published “The institutional logic of welfare attitudes: How welfare regimes influence public support” (Ashgate 2006), which was followed by “The rise and fall of social cohesion. Constructing and de-constructing
social trust in the US, UK, Sweden and Denmark” (Oxford University Press, 2013). The issue of migration and assimilation into Northern European host countries is prominent in CALs current project portfolio. CAL published "Migrants' Attitudes and the Welfare State: The Danish Melting Pot" in 2021 (Edward Elgar, co-authored) and "Migrantss and Welfare States: Balancing Dilemmas in Northern Europe" in 2022 (Edward Elgar, editor). In the national Danish context CAL has contributed with two books about long term unemployment (2003, 2009, coauthored), two books about national identity and attitudes to migrants (2008, 2016), a book about the politics of welfare reforms (2004, co-authored) and a book about universalism (2015, co-authored). CAL has received a Danish Sapere Aude II research leader elite grant (2012-2015) and a Fulbright grant (2015-2016). CAL was a member of the Danish national research council for social science (2015 – 2021).