The Laboratory of Social and Political Institutions of the Department of Sociology at the University of the Aegean was established in 2002. Its purpose is to study contemporary politics and governance, and the ways in which their transformations affect democracy, society, and institutions. A range of issues are examined concerning the modern state and the relationship between state, market, and society; the various dimensions of public policy (social policy, welfare policy, etc.); the development, strategies, and policies of the European Union and a series of international organizations; globalization (its phases and transformations); political behavior; and perceptions surrounding social problems and phenomena. Among the Laboratory’s objectives is the study of the major crises of the last decades (economic, refugee, pandemic, etc.), the policies developed to address them, the political discourses surrounding them, the emotional politics they generate, and their social consequences. At the same time, the Laboratory investigates broader values and sociopolitical trends that shape the organization of social life. The approach to these issues is grounded in political sociology and is oriented both toward social and political theory and toward empirical research.  

The Laboratory develops its activities with the aim of deepening research on these issues through the production of scientific research, related publications, research projects, and the organization of training seminars, workshops, and academic events. The achievement of these objectives relies on a broad and interdisciplinary set of methodological tools, ranging from quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques to theoretical and comparative approaches.

The Laboratory places particular emphasis on collaboration with academic and social institutions, as well as with individuals interested in these issues, including undergraduate and postgraduate students, Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral researchers. The Laboratory also collaborates with the Master’s Program “Research on Social Development and Cohesion” (ETKAS) of the Department of Sociology at the University of the Aegean.