Research Centers

Political science research at Sciences Po is carried out across several research centers and programs:

• The Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE), whose scientific project is based on a multidisciplinary approach to politics. Established in 2005, it now brings together around thirty tenured researchers, about fifty PhD students and early-career doctors, and about thirty affiliated and associated researchers, both French and international. The center's researchers are affiliated with four departments (political science, sociology, law, and history) as well as with the School of International Affairs (PSIA), the Urban School, and the School of Public Affairs at Sciences Po. A strong characteristic of the CEE is its international dimension. The CEE also contributes to the structuring of the European Research Area in the humanities and social sciences, notably by leading numerous programs funded by European institutions.
• The Centre for International Studies (CERI), which facilitates dialogue between various disciplinary approaches such as the sociology of politics, anthropology, history, political economy, international relations, and political philosophy. The empirical foundation of research conducted at CERI, combined with linguistic and fieldwork expertise, aims to contribute to conceptual debates in the social sciences. The center’s work is rooted in a comparative tradition and values the historical trajectories of the societies it studies.
• The Sciences Po Centre for Political Research (CEVIPOF), which analyzes the major political trends shaping political forces and institutions, as well as the factors that influence political behaviors and attitudes. International and interdisciplinary, CEVIPOF contributes through its empirical and theoretical work to the understanding of social and political change in France, Europe, and major contemporary democracies. It is now the reference center for the study of political thought and ideas, voting behavior, political attitudes, and the analysis of political and social forces in contemporary democracies.
• The Sciences Po Socio-Political Data Center (CDSP), originating from a joint research unit of the CNRS and Sciences Po, was created in 2005 and focuses on the production and management of data for the social sciences. It is responsible for documentation, preservation, and data production. It also serves as an expertise center for quantitative and qualitative methods in connection with major national and European research infrastructures, bringing together the skills of engineers, data specialists, and developers.
• The Max Planck Sciences Po Center (MaxPo) was jointly established by Sciences Po Paris and the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne. MaxPo researchers study how individuals, organizations, and states respond to liberalization policies, major technological changes, and profound cultural transformations that market societies have undergone in recent decades. Specializing in economic sociology and political economy, they focus particularly on the social and political consequences of the current economic crisis. The group led by Cornelia Woll mainly addresses national policies for managing the financial crisis, while the group led by Marion Fourcade focuses on inequalities and new forms of social stratification.
• The Interdisciplinary Research Center for the Evaluation of Public Policies (LIEPP) is a "Laboratory of Excellence" (Labex), recognized by the international scientific jury designated by the National Research Agency (ANR). Its objective is to study and evaluate