Lau Blaxekjær
PhD candidate (2011-2014) at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen and visiting Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Department of Political Science and at the School of Environment, McGill University
Bio

Lau Blaxekjaer is a PhD candidate (2011-2014) at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, and from September to December 2013, visiting Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Department of Political Science and at the School of Environment, McGill University. From 2008 to 2011, Lau worked as Head of Section in the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, on projects such as establishing a joint Chinese and Danish University centre in Beijing, Higher Education policy analysis, Elite Programmes, Entrepreneurship, Digitisation, and speech writing for the minister.
Lau is founder and current vice-president of the Danish Research Network on Climate Change Politics. And is currently involved with setting up a more formal ecological economics and governance network in Denmark.
Lau is founder and current vice-president of the Danish Research Network on Climate Change Politics. And is currently involved with setting up a more formal ecological economics and governance network in Denmark.
Research Interests
Lau is currently working on his dissertation project, Global Climate Governance Practices, in which he analyses different forms of global climate governance practices whether found within the UNFCCC meetings or outside the UNFCCC between states and non-state actors in international society. The dissertation will incorporate elements from global governance, practice theory, narrative studies, rhetorics, institutionalism, and ecological economics through these topics:
- Green growth as an example of state-driven global governance (two papers); the first paper is tracing the emergence and spread of the green growth policy concept and places it within the neo-liberal paradigm; the second paper is focusing on Korea as a global policy entrepreneur and the different practices of governance Korea has applied to spread green growth and position Korea as one of the most important actors in the field. Green Growth is framed as the solution to both financial and climate crisis. However, Green Grown is very silent on the nuclear crisis.
- Global crises and challenges to governance. This paper uses Fukushima as point of departure to discuss a new conception of governance - termed Post-Normal Governance - in times of crises and increased uncertainty.
- New governance (and discursive) practices in the UNFCCC COPs (two papers); the first paper analyses the six new negotiation organisations (from COP15-COP18) and their storylines in relation to the Common But Differentiated Responsibility principle, and then maps the corresponding discourse-coalitions; the second paper focuses on one of these organisations, the Cartagena Dialogue for Progressive Action (one of the forums crossing the North-South divide), analysing the micro-practices of this forum as wells as consequences for UNFCCC governance.
- Global narratives of China’s climate change governance. This paper discusses the paradox of China being framed (through narratives) as either a threat or an important part of the solution to global climate change governance. The paper illustrates these narratives through analysis of the application of dragon images in academic, public policy sources, and news media sources of China's global climate governance.
- Green growth as an example of state-driven global governance (two papers); the first paper is tracing the emergence and spread of the green growth policy concept and places it within the neo-liberal paradigm; the second paper is focusing on Korea as a global policy entrepreneur and the different practices of governance Korea has applied to spread green growth and position Korea as one of the most important actors in the field. Green Growth is framed as the solution to both financial and climate crisis. However, Green Grown is very silent on the nuclear crisis.
- Global crises and challenges to governance. This paper uses Fukushima as point of departure to discuss a new conception of governance - termed Post-Normal Governance - in times of crises and increased uncertainty.
- New governance (and discursive) practices in the UNFCCC COPs (two papers); the first paper analyses the six new negotiation organisations (from COP15-COP18) and their storylines in relation to the Common But Differentiated Responsibility principle, and then maps the corresponding discourse-coalitions; the second paper focuses on one of these organisations, the Cartagena Dialogue for Progressive Action (one of the forums crossing the North-South divide), analysing the micro-practices of this forum as wells as consequences for UNFCCC governance.
- Global narratives of China’s climate change governance. This paper discusses the paradox of China being framed (through narratives) as either a threat or an important part of the solution to global climate change governance. The paper illustrates these narratives through analysis of the application of dragon images in academic, public policy sources, and news media sources of China's global climate governance.
Degrees Received
BA Political Science, University of Copenhagen, 2004
MSc Asian Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 2007 (focus on China, Japan, and Korea)
MA Political Science, University of Copenhagen, 2008
MSc Asian Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 2007 (focus on China, Japan, and Korea)
MA Political Science, University of Copenhagen, 2008
Publications
2013
- The emergence, spread, and early consolidation of the green growth policy concept (Forthcoming) Environmental Politics.
- Global Climate Politics: From Bali to Paris (Forthcoming, in Danish), Politik.
- The Green Power of Korea: Green Growth and Global Environmental Governance, paper presented at Asian Dynamics Initiative Conference, Copenhagen, +13 June 2013.
2012
- Analysis of UNFCCC climate negotiations, in Danish Daily Newspaper Politiken, +6 December 2012.
- Post-Fukushima and post-normal Governance, research presentation at EastAsiaNet workshop in Barcelona, 25- +26 October 2012.
- China’s two dragon images and other contradictions in climate politics, paper presented at Asian Dynamics Initiative Conference, Copenhagen, +3 May 2012.
- The emergence and spread of the Green Growth policy concept, paper presented at the Lund University Earth System Governance Conference, +18 April 2012.
- China in Global Climate Change Politics, Infocus Blog, NIAS – Nordic
Institute of Asian Studies, +18 January 2012.
2011
- Paper on Green Growth and a new theory of institutionalism, presented at the Annual Meeting of Danish Political Science Association, +3 November 2011.
- Book review of Moris, Narelle, 2010, Japan-Bashing: Anti-Japanism since the 1980s, Routlegde. Tidsskriftet Politik, Vol. 14, no. 2.
- The EU at COP17 and the question of global leadership, Research Comment, Newsletter of Centre for European Politics, University of Copenhagen, 7 December 2011.
- Analysis of COP17 and post-Kyoto politics, Danish Daily Newspaper Politiken, 11 November 2011.
- Analysis of Green Growth, Danish Daily Newspaper, Politiken, 17 September 2011.
- Six Prime Ministers in 5 years – why Japanese Prime Ministers are so shortlived, Infocus Blog, NIAS – Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, 6 September 2011.
- Analysis of Japanese politics and consequences of triple disaster in Japan march 2011. Appeared in Danish Daily Newspaper, Politiken, 4 April 2011.
2008
- Lean in Japan, New Public Management and Lean in Public Administration, (with Jesper Schlæger, University of Copenhagen), Tidsskriftet Politik, Vol. 11, No. 1. Peer reviewed article.
- Feature article on Denmark’s increased interest in China and India, (with Irene Nørlund, Senior Researcher, NIAS), University Post, University of Copenhagen.
- Research assistant on Jørgen Delman & Chen, Nordic Opportunities for Collaboration with China in Energy Research and Innovation, NIAS og Nordisk Energiforskning.
2007
- Feature article on Japanese politics and change of Prime Ministers, in Danish Newspaper, Kristeligt Dagblad.
- Assistant editor on Helgesen, Geir & Nis Høyrup Christensen, North Korea 2007: Assisting Development and Change, NIAS.
- Research assistant on Delman, Jørgen & Stig Toft Madsen, Nordic Triple Helix Collaboration on Knowledge, Innovation, and Business Development in China and India, NIAS.
- The emergence, spread, and early consolidation of the green growth policy concept (Forthcoming) Environmental Politics.
- Global Climate Politics: From Bali to Paris (Forthcoming, in Danish), Politik.
- The Green Power of Korea: Green Growth and Global Environmental Governance, paper presented at Asian Dynamics Initiative Conference, Copenhagen, +13 June 2013.
2012
- Analysis of UNFCCC climate negotiations, in Danish Daily Newspaper Politiken, +6 December 2012.
- Post-Fukushima and post-normal Governance, research presentation at EastAsiaNet workshop in Barcelona, 25- +26 October 2012.
- China’s two dragon images and other contradictions in climate politics, paper presented at Asian Dynamics Initiative Conference, Copenhagen, +3 May 2012.
- The emergence and spread of the Green Growth policy concept, paper presented at the Lund University Earth System Governance Conference, +18 April 2012.
- China in Global Climate Change Politics, Infocus Blog, NIAS – Nordic
Institute of Asian Studies, +18 January 2012.
2011
- Paper on Green Growth and a new theory of institutionalism, presented at the Annual Meeting of Danish Political Science Association, +3 November 2011.
- Book review of Moris, Narelle, 2010, Japan-Bashing: Anti-Japanism since the 1980s, Routlegde. Tidsskriftet Politik, Vol. 14, no. 2.
- The EU at COP17 and the question of global leadership, Research Comment, Newsletter of Centre for European Politics, University of Copenhagen, 7 December 2011.
- Analysis of COP17 and post-Kyoto politics, Danish Daily Newspaper Politiken, 11 November 2011.
- Analysis of Green Growth, Danish Daily Newspaper, Politiken, 17 September 2011.
- Six Prime Ministers in 5 years – why Japanese Prime Ministers are so shortlived, Infocus Blog, NIAS – Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, 6 September 2011.
- Analysis of Japanese politics and consequences of triple disaster in Japan march 2011. Appeared in Danish Daily Newspaper, Politiken, 4 April 2011.
2008
- Lean in Japan, New Public Management and Lean in Public Administration, (with Jesper Schlæger, University of Copenhagen), Tidsskriftet Politik, Vol. 11, No. 1. Peer reviewed article.
- Feature article on Denmark’s increased interest in China and India, (with Irene Nørlund, Senior Researcher, NIAS), University Post, University of Copenhagen.
- Research assistant on Jørgen Delman & Chen, Nordic Opportunities for Collaboration with China in Energy Research and Innovation, NIAS og Nordisk Energiforskning.
2007
- Feature article on Japanese politics and change of Prime Ministers, in Danish Newspaper, Kristeligt Dagblad.
- Assistant editor on Helgesen, Geir & Nis Høyrup Christensen, North Korea 2007: Assisting Development and Change, NIAS.
- Research assistant on Delman, Jørgen & Stig Toft Madsen, Nordic Triple Helix Collaboration on Knowledge, Innovation, and Business Development in China and India, NIAS.