Security
By Marc Schack, Sune Klinge and Astrid Kjeldgaard-Pedersen
17 January 2026
CERES will address legal issues related to one of today’s major societal challenges: Security.
Danish authorities must be able to handle a range of different security policy scenarios, and the Danish security agencies must operate in a reality that is constantly evolving – not least due to technological developments – and where simmering conflicts may continuously unfold in a grey zone between war and peace. This places demands on preparedness, including legal preparedness.
Against this backdrop, CERES poses the following overarching research question:
How should Danish authorities respond to the many diverse current threats without compromising fundamental rule-of-law principles, including fundamental rights and international obligations?
The new centre provides an opportunity to pursue a common research agenda across those areas of public law that are particularly affected by the current security agenda.
Selected research themes
- The overarching legal principles governing Danish authorities’ handling of war, hybrid warfare, crises, and conflict
- Regulation of the use of force by Danish authorities and the enforcement of Danish sovereignty
- Legislation in times of crisis (increased delegation, sunset clauses, etc.) and emergency law regimes
- The role of the police and armed forces in responding to terrorist attacks and similar incidents
- The work, tasks, and oversight of intelligence services
- Issues of confidentiality, national security, and prosecution
- Special national security procedures and regulations related to, inter alia, foreigners and criminal procedural interventions
- Natural disasters resulting from climate change
- Health crises and epidemic management (COVID-19, Mpox, Ebola)
- Technological developments and the risk of cyberattacks, hacking, etc.
- Conscription and other civic duties in times of peace and crisis
- Deployment of Danish military forces abroad and stationing of foreign military forces on Danish territory
Events
19 Feb. 2026,
8:45-9:45
Genocidal intent in armed conflict: The case of Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza
5 Mar. 2026,
8:45-9:45
Born to Live, Killed for Nothing: Moral Strategic and Legal Reasons for Outlawing Collateral Damage
26 Mar. 2026,
8:45-9:45
Star Wars 2026: Militarisation, Conflict and International Law in Outer Space
Methodology
The common denominator in CERES is a predominantly doctrinal legal approach to both national and international legislation. Some CERES projects will incorporate comparative methods, including with regard to the implementation of international and EU legal regulations in countries other than Denmark.
Other social science methods may be included where appropriate, e.g., through collaboration with other research centres at the Faculty of Law.
Synergy between research and education
CERES members are part of the academic leadership of three compulsory BA courses (Institutional Constitutional Law and EU Constitutional Law, Fundamental Rights of the Individual, and International Law) and contribute, e.g. through textbooks and detailed teaching manuals including case material, to the research-based foundation of the law programmes.
The center’s current research will continuously benefit students at both bachelor’s and master’s level – for example, in the form of new cases that cut across subjects and thereby help highlight the students’ progression.
Students interested in writing a bachelor’s project and/or master’s thesis within CERES’ research themes are welcome to get in touch.
Researchers
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Kjeldgaard-Pedersen, Astrid | Professor and head of centre | |
| Klinge, Sune | Associate Professor | |
| Pedersen, Anja Møller | Assistant Professor - Tenure Track | |
| Rytter, Jens Elo Petersen | Professor | |
| Schack, Marc | Associate Professor | |
| Wiesener, Cornelius | Assistant Professor - Tenure Track |