Het nieuwe @sampolmaandblad.bsky.social nummer ligt nu in de boekhandel, en daarin lees je mijn tweede column!
Ik heb het daarin over hoe het beeld dat burgers van democratie hebben, bepaalt of ze een verval van de democratie opmerken, en kunnen tegenhouden.
🎉Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming @elinakk.bsky.social and @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social.
Their engaging seminars on child-parent socialisation of political values and critical political trust, along with valuable exchanges with our team, made for two inspiring days.
📸 Some highlights below.
Voor De Gids op Maatschappelijk Gebied schreef ik een stuk over de rol van identiteit om stemgedrag te verklaren. Ondanks maatschappelijke veranderingen en groeiende volatiliteit blijft identiteit van belang!
🔗 visie.net/de-gids-arti...
@visiemagazine.bsky.social | @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social
We have a new Linked-In page 🤩
Don't miss our upcoming events and news!
Follow us here👇
www.linkedin.com/company/voti...
Don’t forget to register for our upcoming lecture on March 26 at 16:30!
👉 lnkd.in/eeazeQyX
De @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social ontvangt prof. @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social (UvA) voor een publiekslezing rond over ‘Waardenloze politiek: hoe politici de democratie klem zetten tussen technocratie en populisme’!
🗓️ Donderdag 26 maart om 16u30
📍Parkstraat 47 3000 Leuven
📝Registreer: lnkd.in/eeazeQyX
PhD successfully defended!
"Beyond the Two-Party Divide" examines how affective polarization works in Europe, and when it matters for democracy.
Short answer: Europe's multiparty systems have particularly good "safeguards" to prevent polarization from spiraling out of control like in the U.S.
People who want redistribution are often dismissed as being driven by an ugly emotion: envy.
Our new paper in #PSPB challenges this widespread narrative.
We show that support for redistribution is less driven by envy and more by the belief that the rich do not deserve their advantage. 🧵⬇️
Had a great time presenting work with Richard Nadeau at the CPPE colloquium in Konstanz. Thanks @na-wehl.bsky.social et al for the invite and super helpful suggestions!
Sunrise over the lake in the morning was a nice bonus!
@excinequality.bsky.social | @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social
Glad to see our paper on religious cleavages in Western Europe (with @melff.bsky.social & Kamil Marcinkiewicz) out at the @ejprjournal.bsky.social !
cup.org/4qhTx3j
📢 New publication 📢
We are pleased to shine the spotlight on Toine Paulissen's PhD (@vd-researchgroup.bsky.social - KU Leuven)!
👉 The PhD summary by @toinepaulissen.bsky.social : doi.org/10.54195/plc...
👉A critical review by @theresareidy.bsky.social : doi.org/10.54195/plc...
#openaccess
📢 The Voting & Democracy Research Group is thrilled to invite you to a book talk by Professor Natasha Wunsch on her recent publication, “Democratic Commitment: Why Citizens Tolerate Democratic Backsliding”.
🗓️ 20 January 2026 at 2:00 p.m. in room FSW 03.155.
📝 Registration: lnkd.in/dQGFXSiJ
❗Glad to share the entry on 'Economic voting' that Chloé De Grauwe and I contributed to the brand new @ipsa.org Companion to Political Science !
link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/...
Starting the new year with a new #openaccess #publication!
In our article, we explore why citizens oppose taxes while simultaneously demanding more redistributive social policies, aka want "something for nothing".
@olivierjacques.bsky.social @staffankumlin.bsky.social @dweisstanner.bsky.social
The Voting and Democracy Research Group welcomes Professor Rune Stubager (Aarhus University) for a keynote presentation.
🗓️ Friday 23 January 2026, 11h00
📍 Aula Emma Vorlat (campus Faculty of Social Sciences KU Leuven)
ℹ️ Info: lnkd.in/dMvzG36U
📝 Registration (by 14 January 2026): lnkd.in/dZ3ZBSGh
🚨Working on economic inequality perceptions and support for redistribution? Sonja Zmerli and I are coordinating a Section about perceived economic inequality at the next @ecpr.bsky.social's General Conference.
👉 Do consider submit your paper! ecpr.eu/Events/Event...
@vd-researchgroup.bsky.social
‼️ Onze onderzoeksgroep @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social verwelkomt dit academiejaar @bramwauters.bsky.social als Francqui leerstoelhouder!
📆 Het openingscollege gaat door op 2 dec om 17u30
Voor meer info en om in te schrijven voor dit *niet te missen* college, zie hier soc.kuleuven.be/afdeling-pol...
This is fun, our research on political trust and social policy was featured at the Portuguese national news 😎 www.rtp.pt/play/p14263/...
(less fun, they didn't cite us properly, but hey)
#Hiva @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social @kuleuvenuniversity.bsky.social
With the start of the new academic year, we're planning more talks at @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social!
Looking forward to welcoming @bjornhoyland.bsky.social in Leuven on Monday 20 October. If you're around and would like to attend, more info is here 👇
soc.kuleuven.be/afdeling-pol...
Yes, the @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social has got merch!
Last panel of the #ecprgc25 #trust section! Just presented our work on how public service evaluations lead to political trust and distrust, and having fun while at it 😎
Joint work with Matthijs Gillissen & @ldeblok.bsky.social
@ecpr.bsky.social @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social
@HIVA
📢 New publication: we draw on unique data from 16- and 17-year-old Belgian adolescents who were eligible to vote in the 2024 European elections, and show that low trust in order and representative institutions is linked to protest and radical voting. @dieterstiers.bsky.social @annakern.bsky.social
Can elections foster political legitimacy? In my new study @wepsocial.bsky.social I show that they can, depending on the level of participation, the congruence between the electorate and the parliament and government, and the reactiveness of the electoral result to past incumbent performance.
A great #EPSA2025 conference is in the books. Got to see amazing research, had great discussions, and met fantastic junior scholars. But the highlight was catching up with (former) members, visitors, and friends of the @sciencepo-udem.bsky.social Chair on Electoral Democracy!
A key function of the state is to ensure the #welfare of its citizens. But do more generous welfare policies also foster more #political #trust?
🎉 Our paper, co-authored with Matthijs Gillissen and Anna Ruelens, was accepted @polstudies.bsky.social!
@vd-researchgroup.bsky.social #HIVA
I talked to @news.dw.com about the protests in Los Angeles and why authoritarian figures like Donald Trump like to spread the narrative of societal collapse.
We started June with a Research Seminar on Economic Evaluations and Political Sophistication by Chloé De Grauwe at the Faculty of Social Sciences, KU LEUVEN
Great discussion and collaborative participation!🌟
