Niels Spierings, professor of Sociology: processes of inclusion and exclusion
Niels Spierings, professor of Sociology: processes of inclusion and exclusion

Niels Spierings appointed as professor of Sociology: Processes of inclusion and exclusion

As of September 1, Niels Spierings has been appointed as Professor of Sociology: processes of inclusion and exclusion at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Radboud University.

The research of Spierings focuses on who can, wants and is allowed to participate in equality in politics, society and the economy. Specifically, his work focusses on the economic and political inclusion of people belonging to ethnically minoritized groups, women and LGBTIQ+ minorities. His research agenda includes questions of how experiences of exclusion shape attitudes and practices of inclusion towards other minoritized groups and how different identities interrelate.  

‘There are many myths floating around, for example that apologies around slavery actually increase resistance or that gays mainly vote radical right’, Spierings explains. ‘In my research, I dive into questions like these to come up with real answers about how inclusion and exclusion of marginalized groups interact.’

About Niels Spierings

began his academic career at Radboud University where he completed his Masters in Political Science in 2005. In 2012 he successfully completed his PhD with a thesis that focused on which factors shape the employment of women in 28 Muslim-majority countries. After his PhD, Spierings worked as senior research officer at the department of Sociology at the University of Essex and as Fellow in Political Sociology at the department of Sociology of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Becoming an Assistant Professor in Sociology at Radboud University marked his return to the Netherlands. At this department, he was later appointed Associate Professor.

Spierings is the recipient of a number of grants, including  grants from the municipal government of Nijmegen, the Provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel and the national government. In addition, he received some personal grants which include the NWO Veni grant in 2015 and the NWO Vidi grant in 2020. He also received several awards, such as the Meisel-Laponce Award for the best article in IPSR 2020-2022, the Radboud University Young teacher of the Year Award in 2010 and, together with main author Saskia Glas, the 2020 Best Article Award for the European Journal of Politics and Gender.