Politics

Carolien van Ham researches democratic legitimacy and political representation. She also publishes on electoral fraud and the integrity of elections: how do countries ensure that voters have (or can have) confidence in their political system?

In his research, Kristof Jacobs examines the challenges that are facing democracy, such as the rise of populist parties and voters. He also explores the role that social media plays in elections and the enthusiasm for specific political parties.

Niels Spierings is a sociologist of inclusion and exclusion. He studies the role of Islam in politics and the empowerment of women and LGBTQA+ people, the representation of minorities and women in politics and society, and populism in social media and politics. On these topics, he also feeds public discussion and provides policy advice.

Mathijs van de Sande conducts research into democratic legitimacy and the role of protest and social movements. For this purpose, he draws on various philosophical movements and traditions, such as anarchism, feminism, and Marxism and Post-Marxism.

Marc Davidson researches the ethics of sustainability and climate change. He focuses on how we should behave towards future generations and the environment. He also examines how the costs of environmental policy can be equitably distributed at both the national and international level.

Andrej Zaslove conducts research into populism and political parties. He measures populist attitudes among voters and examines the links between populism and democracy, foreign policy and gender. He also examines the impact of populism on party systems.

Bé Breij specialises in ancient rhetoric, and also uses her knowledge to analyse language usage in contemporary public debate. She is the founder of Peitho, the Radboud knowledge centre for rhetoric and conviction.

Alexander van Kessel specialises in Dutch parliamentary history. His expertise lies in such fields as cabinet formations and the history of Christian Democracy in the Netherlands.

Nora Stel researches governance and politics in conflict areas. She specifically focuses on refugee policy in the Middle East and refugee policy with respect to this region, and on local government during wartime.

Ellen Mastenbroek’s research focuses on the performance and impact of European Administrative Networks. Her research interests include the increasing Europeanisation of national governments and the implementation and evaluation of European policy at the local level.

Bertjan Verbeek researches decision making and crisis decision making in foreign policy. Within this field, he focuses on the influence of domestic policy on the foreign policy of states and the role of international organisations during crises.

Sophie van Bijsterveld focuses on the relations between religion, state, and society. With her expertise in religion, law, and political philosophy she examines both normative issues and current developments in democracy and the rule of law in the Netherlands.