Professor of International Relations
Dr. Ingvild Bode
Expert on AI governance within the military domain, norms and policy change
Introduction to Ingvild Bode
Director of Center for War Studies
About Me
I am Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). At SDU, I am also Director of the Center for War Studies (CWS) and a Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) Chair of Social Sciences.
I served as Co-Chair of the IEEE-SA Research Group on Issues of AI And Autonomy in Defence Systems (2023-2024) and as an expert on the Global Commission on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (GC REAIM) (2024-2025).
Research and Publications
My research focuses on processes of policy and normative change, especially with regard to the use of force. My work is dedicated to critically examining the roles of technologies in international relations and international security, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in and beyond the military domain.
I have published extensively in these areas, including in international journals such as the European Journal of International Relations (several times), Review of International Studies, Ethics and Information Technology, Global Governance, and International Studies Review. My most recent book entitled Autonomous Weapons and International Norms (co-authored with Hendrik Huelss) was published by McGill-Queen’s University Press in 2022.
Academic Background
Before joining the University of Southern Denmark in 2020, I was Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Kent, Canterbury (2015-2020) and a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science International Research Fellow with joined affiliation at United Nations University and the University of Tokyo (2013-2015). I was awarded my PhD in International Relations/political science from the University of Tübingen, Germany in 2013.
External Affiliations
I hold external affiliations with three institutions: as a fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), as an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), and as a guest researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) Centre for Peace Research.
Areas of Expertise
My Research Specializations
AI Governance
Investigating regulatory frameworks for integrating AI in military decision-making.
Human-Machine Interaction
Exploring distributed agency and collaboration between humans and AI in warfare.
Normative Change
Examining the impact of emerging technologies on international norms and military policy.
Autonomous Weapons
Researching the ethical and operational challenges of autonomous weapon systems in warfare.
Ethics of AI
Analyzing the moral implications of AI-driven technologies in military contexts.
Peace and Security
Investigating the role that emerging technologies such as AI play in shaping global peace and security frameworks.
Introduction to my research projects
Exploring AI, Norms, and Global Security
Current Research Projects
My research has been funded by various external sources. Currently, I lead two externally-funded research projects.
HuMach (2024-2028), funded by The Independent Research Council Denmark, examines how interacting with AI technologies changes the exercise of human agency in warfare.
TechSov (2026-2031), funded by the Carlsberg Foundation, examines how defence tech ecosystems shape Europe’s tech sovereignty and the extent to which the interplay between strategic and innovation cultures contribute to shaping a European alternative that balances regulation and innovation.
Previously, I have led two other major research projects:
AutoPractices (2024-2025), funded by the European Research Council, co-created a set of best practices with stakeholders in the form of an operational toolkit to sustain and strengthen human agency and accountability in autonomous and intelligent systems (AIS) in the military context.
AutoNorms (2020-2026) investigated how practices related to autonomous weapon systems change international norms. The AutoNorms team examines military, transnational, political and dual-use practices in China, Japan, Russia, and the USA. AutoNorms was also funded by the European Research Council.
