In­aug­ur­al Lec­ture with Pro­fess­or Justine Grøn­bæk Pors

Copenhagen Business School warmly invites you to the inaugural lecture of Professor Justine Grønbæk Pors

Title: Inheriting the future of the welfare state

Abstract
Today, the welfare state is increasingly challenged by geopolitical ruptures, economic inequality, technological developments, climate change, and political polarisation. This lecture addresses the question: What does it mean to inherit the welfare state and to care for its future? 

Drawing on her research into the histories and contemporary practices of public policy, governance, and welfare organizations in Denmark, Justine Grønbæk Pors explores complex processes of societal transformation. She argues that change does not happen through chronological patterns, but through multiple and non-linear temporalities. With examples from diverse policy domains, such as education and biodiversity, the lecture identifies the political and ethical implications of current transformations of the welfare state.

Justine Grønbæk Pors offers a forward-looking research agenda highlighting the methodological innovations needed to understand the profoundly interdisciplinary nature of public policy, and to contribute to the development of responsible governance.

Short bio
Justine Grønbæk Pors is Professor in the Sociology of Public Policy at the Department of Business Humanities and Law at Copenhagen Business School. Her work explores transformations of public policies and of the welfare state. She is particularly interested in questions about power, politics, temporality, subjectivity, and ghosts. 

Program
15:00-15:05 Welcome by Head of Department Pia Bramming
15:05-15:15 Speech by President Peter Møllgaard
15.15-15:50 Inaugural Lecture by Professor Justine Grønbæk Pors
15.50-15:55 Closing remarks by Head of Department Pia Bramming
16:00-17:00 Reception, Porcelænshaven 22, ground floor.

Date: 24 September 2026, 15:00-17:00

CBS, Porcelænshaven 22, Råvarebygningen, PHR s.20

The lecture can be followed online: Teams link available here.