Josefine Lykkegaard

My research investigates how institutions can address one of the central challenges of our time: the growing alienation of work. Drawing on philosophy, especially Hegel’s theory of institutions, I explore how work can become not only a source of income but also a foundation for freedom, meaningfulness, and rootedness.  

I focus on how labour market institutions and workplace governance can be structured to counter precarity and create meaningful forms of participation. Rather than reducing work to individual fulfillment, my approach highlights the normative role of institutions in shaping the conditions under which work contributes to both personal identity and collective life.  

Through this research, I aim to contribute to debates on the future of work, democratic organization, and social transformation. My ambition is to develop frameworks that help policymakers, organizations, and unions rethink how institutions can sustain rootedness and counter alienation in contemporary society.