Elsa Hedling is an Associate Professor (Docent) in Political Science and an Associate Senior Lecturer in European Studies at the Centre for Languages and Literature. Her research focuses on the intersection of digitalization and international politics, emphasising European Union foreign policy and diplomatic practice. Elsa’s doctoral work examined the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its adaptation to digital transformation, highlighting the emergence of a distinct security focus following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. This event also catalyzed her interest in disinformation and psychological defence.
Elsa’s research has since expanded to include institutional responses to hybrid threats, especially within diplomatic contexts. She explores how hybrid threats challenge traditional boundaries of diplomacy, analyzing how these disruptions, adaptations and negotiations unfold in practice. Her ongoing work in psychological defence investigates the international and domestic politics of attributing disinformation campaigns (with Hedvig Ördén, Lund University), the emergence of post-digital propaganda (with Simon Lindgren and Therese Enarsson, Umeå University), and the targeting of social identities, particularly through gendered disinformation, and its implications for democratic systems.
Through her affiliation with PDRI, Elsa contributes to the EU Horizon-funded project ADAC.io, a pioneering initiative dedicated to developing strategies to counter disinformation and strengthen psychological defence mechanisms.
Elsa’s research is published in leading academic journals, and she frequently collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and international organizations to address global challenges at the nexus of technology, politics and society. Her expertise positions her as a prominent voice in debates about the future of digital diplomacy, the resilience of international cooperation and the role of multilateral organizations in a rapidly digitalizing world.