Shirin Ahlbäck Öberg
Professor at Department of Government; Faculty
- Telephone:
- +46 18 471 33 39
- Fax:
- +46 18 471 34 09
- E-mail:
- Shirin.Ahlback@statsvet.uu.se
- Visiting address:
- Östra Ågatan 19
753 22 Uppsala - Postal address:
- Box 514
751 20 UPPSALA - Available:
- Atterbomska huset, Valvg.4
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Short presentation
Shirin Ahlbäck Öberg's research interest is the auditing and monitoring of the public sector (public management), and in recent years the rise of the audit society. She has also researched the rewards for high public office (in a comparative perspective), and how NPM-reforms challenge professionalism in the public sector. She has extensive experience of teaching at all levels. She is often hired as an expert and she was member of the Swedish Corona Commission 2020–2022.
Biography
Shirin Ahlbäck Öberg received her PhD in Political Science in 1999, and she was awarded the docent title (Associate Professor) in 2007. After her PhD she received a postdoc-stipend from the Skytte Foundation (1999), and in 2001-2006 she held a position as Assistant Professor at the Department of Government, Uppsala University. In 2007 she received a position as Senior Lecturer at the very same department, and today she is Professor of Political Science.
Her research interest is the auditing and monitoring of the public sector, and in recent years the rise of the audit society. She has also researched the rewards for high public office (in a comparative perspective), and how NPM-reforms challenge professionalism in the public sector. A recurring theme in her research is that she relates everyday issues of public management and administration to central constitutional and democratic problems. Besides research on the public sector she has also been engaged in parliamentary representation research, e.g. the influence of national parliaments in EU-policy and the changed view of parliamentary representation. She has supervised five doctoral students to their PhD-degree (at three of Uppsala university’s altogether nine faculties).
Assignments within Uppsala University
- Chairperson for CESAR – Centre for Social Work (2021- )
- Board member of the research program Democracy and higher education (2021- )
- Chairperson for the consultative assembly "Universitetskollegiet" for the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the period 2020–2022.
- Deputy Member (Academic teachers) of the Uppsala University Board, 2017-2020 and 2020–2023.
- Chairperson for the consultative assembly "hörandeförsamling" for the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the period from 1 January 2018.
- Vice Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences (2011-2017)
- Acting Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences (Jan-March 2012)
- Chairperson for the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Recruitment group for lecturers (2011‑2017)
- Chairperson for the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Quality group (2011-2017)
- Chairperson of the Steering Committee of Uppsala Forum on Democracy, Peace and Justice (2014-2017)
- Member of the Steering Committee of Uppsala Forum on Democracy, Peace and Justice (2011-2014)
- Chairperson for Uppsala Center for Labor Studies (2011-2017)
- Member of Uppsala university’s Quality Council (2012-2015)
- Deputy Head of Department, Department of Government (2009-2011)
- Member of Uppsala university’s Academic Senate (2008-2011)
- Member of the Faculty Board of Social Sciences (2008-2011)
- Chairperson for the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Equal Opportunities Committee (2008-2011)
- Member of the Board of Research Ethical Forum (2003-2005)
External assignments:
- External member of the University of Bergen's university board (2021-2015).
- Member of the Government's commissioned inquiry on the Swedish coronavirus handling (2020–2022).
- Member of the Government commission on trust-based public management (2019–2020).
- Member of the scientific council of the Swedish National Audit Office (2016-)
- Member of the scientific council of the Swedish Agency for Public Management (2015-)
- Member of The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation’s Sector Committee on the Aims and Outcomes in Public-Sector Activities (2012-2014)
- Member of the Board of the Expert Group for Public Economics (ESO) (2007-2013)
- Member of the expert group of the Parliamentary Committee investigating the State Audit reform (2007-2009)
- Member of the Nordic Administrative Association’s Board of the Swedish section (2005–2011)
- Member of the Swedish National Police Board’s Council on Ethics (2004–2009)
- Member of The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation’s Sector Committee for Public Economics, Management and Leadership (2004-2009)
- Member of the Swedish Election Authority Board (2002-2011)
- Member of the National Council for Quality and Development’s reference group for researchers and practitioners (2002-2004)
- Appointed expert in the Parliamentary Review Committee’s expert group on audit, follow-ups and evaluation (1999-2000)

Publications
Recent publications
Part of Fundamentala frågor, p. 87-103, Fri tanke, 2025
Regeringsformen och de statliga lärosätena: Akademisk frihet med svaga skyddsräcken
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 547-570, 2024
Ökad kontroll och ökad byråkratisering: Interna effekter på lärosätena
2024
2024
The Decollegialization of Higher Education Institutions in Sweden
Part of Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, p. 126-143, 2023
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All publications
Articles in journal
Regeringsformen och de statliga lärosätena: Akademisk frihet med svaga skyddsräcken
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 547-570, 2024
The Decollegialization of Higher Education Institutions in Sweden
Part of Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, p. 126-143, 2023
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Managerialism and the Military: Consequences for the Swedish Armed Forces
Part of Armed forces and society, p. 892-916, 2022
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Agency Autonomy and Organizational Interaction
Part of Public Organization Review, p. 1045-1062, 2022
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Avkollegialiseringen av svenska lärosäten: En analys av statliga universitet och högskolor
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 157-209, 2022
Svenska lärosäten: organisering, finansiering, positionering
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 5-18, 2022
Part of Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, p. 43-72, 2021
Agency Control or Autonomy?: Government Steering of Swedish Government Agencies 2003–2017
Part of International Public Management Journal, p. 330-349, 2021
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Om att göra rätt även när ingen ser på
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 7-17, 2016
Högskolepolitiken saknar stöd i forskningen
Part of Tidskriften Respons, 2016
Att göra rätt - även när ingen ser på
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 7-17, 2016
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 93-126, 2016
Professionalism and organizational performance in the wake of new managerialism
Part of European Political Science Review, p. 499-523, 2015
Konstitution kan förebygga kris
Part of Upsala Nya Tidning, 2014
Part of Upsala Nya Tidning, p. 5-5, 2014
MOOCs-studenter bildar B-laget
Part of Upsala Nya Tidning, 2013
En högskoleledning i fritt fall
Part of Gefle Dagblad, 2013
Självständighet blev toppstyrning
Part of Upsala Nya Tidning, p. 5-5, 2013
Vårdens kontrollsystem bättre för andra områden
Part of Dagens Nyheter, 2013
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 273-281, 2012
”Professionalism nedvärderas i den marknadsstyrda staten”
Part of Dagens Nyheter, 2012
Regeringsformen och den samtidiga reformen av Riksrevisionen
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 331-350, 2011
Kunskap och politik - mellan nonchalans och teknokrati
Part of Svensk Juristtidning, p. 764-771, 2011
Framväxten av granskningssamhället: En fråga i författningspolitisk skugga
Part of Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, p. 501-514, 2010
The Influence of National Parliaments over Domestic European Union Policies
Part of Scandinavian Political Studies, p. 359-381, 2009
Part of Framtider, p. 4-8, 2009
Glorifiering av handlingskraft tystar det förnuftiga samtalet
Part of Axess, 2005
Ett effektivt samhälle kräver god samhällsvetenskap
Part of Tvärsnitt - Tidskrift för humanistisk och samhällsvetenskaplig forskning, p. 25-28, 2005
Fri forskning i kollision med regeringens ideologiproduktion
Part of Axess, p. 32-37, 2004
Svensk elitstyrning skapar maktlöshet
Part of DN debatt 2002-11-25, 2002
Part of Politologen: organ för Statsvetenskapliga förbundet, p. 25-32, 2001
Revisionen skall vara oberoende
Part of Sydsvenska Dagbladet 2000-11-23, 2000
Ahleniusaffären avslöjade regeringens kluvna tunga
Part of Moderna tider, 1999
Sverige behöver en oberoende riksrevision
Part of TLM:Thélème, p. 27-33, 1999
Part of DN debatt 1999-09-21, 1999
Riksdagen: Politikermakt eller tjänstemannavälde?
Part of Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift, p. 113-139, 1994
Books
Dialogos Förlag, 2016
Liber, 2007
Chapters in book
Part of Fundamentala frågor, p. 87-103, Fri tanke, 2025
Från granskningssamhälle till tillitsbaserad styrning?
Part of Kungliga Vetenskapssamhällets i Uppsala årsbok 43/2019-2020, p. 19-30, Kungliga Vetenskapssamhället i Uppsala, 2021
Förvaltningspolitikens organisering
Part of Statlig förvaltningspolitik för 2020-talet, p. 237-265, Statskontoret, 2020
Universitetets nya arbetsordning: en konstitutionell landvinning
Part of Frihet, kollegialitet, studentinflytande, p. 95-105, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2020
Part of Svensk författningspolitik, p. 155-172, Studentlitteratur AB, 2020
Den socialdemokratiska staten?
Part of Om Bo Rothstein, Arkiv förlag & tidskrift, 2019
Att handleda och att vara handledd
Part of Vänbok till Jörgen Hermansson, Statsvetenskapliga föreningen, 2018
Att kontrollera förvaltningen: framväxten av granskningssamhället
Part of Politik som organisation, p. 163-190, Studentlitteratur AB, 2018
Kunskap och politik: mellan nonchalans och teknokrati
Part of Vetenskap och beprövad erfarenhet, p. 61-69, Media-Tryck, Lunds universitet, 2018
Vad har hänt med det kollegiala styret?
Part of Det ostyrda universitetet?, p. 91-119, Makadam Förlag, 2017
Forskning om den statliga revisionen i Sverige
Part of Den statliga revisionen i Norden, p. 61-68, Studentlitteratur AB, 2017
Nordic Administrative Heritages and Contemporary Institutional Design
Part of Nordic Administrative Reforms - Lessons for Public Management, p. 57-78, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016
Part of Svensk författningspolitik, p. 164-181, Studentlitteratur AB, 2016
Avkollegialiseringen av den svenska högskolan
Part of Det hotade universitetet, p. 45-69, Dialogos Förlag, 2016
Part of Public Administration Reforms in Europe, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016
Section 2: Constitutional Design: Introduction
Part of The Oxford Handbook of Swedish Politics, Oxford University Press, 2015
The Public Sector and the Courts
Part of The Oxford Handbook of Swedish Politics, Oxford University Press, 2015
Kollegialitet och linjestyre: oförenliga roller eller nödvändig dualism?
Part of Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten vid Uppsala universitet 50 år, 1964–2014, p. 123-134, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2014
Att kontrollera förvaltningen: framväxten av ganskningssamhället
Part of Politik som organisation, p. 159-183, Studentlitteratur AB, 2014
Part of Patientens pris, p. 122-153, Weyler förlag, 2013
Part of Skor är huvudsaken, p. 37-38, Uppsala universitet, 2013
Om den missriktade lojaliteten
Part of Vågar du sticka ut hakan?, p. 53-56, Nationella Dramaturgiatet, 2013
Rewards for High Public Office in Sweden
Part of Rewards for High Public Office in Europe and North America, p. 174-189, Routledge, 2012
Kunskap och politik: Mellan kunskapsnonchalans och expertdelegation
Part of Kunskapen och makten, p. 45-74, Bokförlaget Atlantis, 2012
Part of Svensk författningspolitik, p. 156-172, SNS förlag, 2011
Organisering av autonomi och universitetet som idé
Part of Det goda universitetet, p. 281-289, Uppsala universitet, 2011
Att kontrollera förvaltningen: framväxten av granskningssamhället
Part of Politik som organisation, p. 168-196, SNS förlag, 2010
Ansvarsfullt ansvarsutkrävande: om bruk och missbruk av KU
Part of Statsvetare ifrågasätter, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2008
Ansvarsfullt ansvarsutkrävande: om bruk och missbruk av KU
Part of Statsvetare ifrågasätter, 2008
Part of Svensk författningspolitik, p. 153-168, SNS förlag, 2008
Den oundgängliga förvaltningen: Den verkställande makten
Part of Mellan folkhem och Europa, p. 171-192, Liber, 2008
Part of Post-Accession in East Central Europe, p. 175-196, Hungarian Centre for Democracy Studies, Budapest, 2004
Departementen och myndigheterna: Att styra offentlig verksamhet
Part of Politikens ramar och aktörer, p. 77-88, Hjalmarson & Högberg, 2004
Part of Svensk författningspolitik, p. 148-162, SNS förlag, 2003
Parlament i bakvatten?: Den svenska och finländska riksdagens inflytande över EU-politiken
Part of Riksdagens roll i EU, p. 47-82, Fritzes, 2002
Den öppna förvaltningen?: Självbilden
Part of En uthållig demokrati?, p. 125-149, Uppsala Publishing House, 2001
Part of Politik som organisation, p. 286-305, SNS förlag, 2001
Revisionens roll i den parlamentariska demokratin
Part of Maktdelning, p. 179-223, Fakta info direkt, 1999
Politikermakt eller tjänstemannavälde?
Part of Riksdagen på nära håll, p. 107-134, SNS förlag, 1997
Collections (editor)
Dialogos Förlag, 2016
Conference papers
2022
The institutional set-up behind the Swedish response to the Covid-19 pandemic
2021
Agency Management Accountability, ex ante and ex post instruments combined?
2018
Government Steering over Two Decades: A Large-N comparison
Part of RC27 Structure and Organization of Government, 2016
Part of Paper presented at the EGPA Permanent Study Group ‘Performance & Accountability in the Public Sector’ (PSG II), 2016
Mature Agencification: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Autonomy
Part of Shaping the Future - Re-invention or revolution?, 2015
Administrative Heritage and Public Management Reform: The Relevance of an East-West Nordic Divide
Part of PSG VI: Governance of Public Sector Organizations, 2015
Constitutions and the Application of Public Management Reforms: Formulating a Research Agenda
2013
2013
Policy and Knowledge: Ignoring Facts or Surrendering to Experts
2011
The New NAO in Sweden: The Deprofessionalization of the Performance Auditor
Part of Workshop: Dysfunktioner i statsapparaten, 2010
Part of Uppsala Public Management Seminar, 2009
Rewards for High Public Office: The Swedish Case
Part of Rewards for High Public Office, 2009
EUs återverkningar på nordisk politik
Part of Det statsvetenskapliga institutionernas nätverk för Europaforskning, 1998
Datasets
2022
Monograph doctoral thesis
Reports
Ökad kontroll och ökad byråkratisering: Interna effekter på lärosätena
2024
2024
2023
2023
Public administration characteristics and performance in EU28: Sweden
2018
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2016
2014
Other
Den offentliga verksamhetens villkor
2018
Part of Public Integrity, p. 207-209, 2014
Om universitetet blir aktiebolag
2013
Replik: Skillnad på ideal och praktik
2013
Vi är inte överens om en toppstyrd högskola
2013
Riksdagsarbetet och EU-medlemskapet
2005