Another festive week at @dfuturevub.bsky.social 🎉 Benjamin Blanckaert succesfully defended his dissertation "Holding Together or Falling Apart? Electoral Politics Across the Linguistic Divide in the Brussels-Capital Region."

About last night... 🎉 Congratulations Dr. @kamilbernaerts.bsky.social ! 🎓 📖 Dr. Bernaerts defended his dissertation on polarisation and its complex, dynamic relationship with democracy and institutions. Needless to say, it was fantastic! Find out more about Kamil's work via kamilbernaerts.com

New publication by DFuture’s Nino Junius et al.: “Why top politicians are pessimistic or optimistic about democracy and its evolution”. What makes political leaders lean one way - optimism or pessimism - and how does that shape democracy’s direction? Link: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Presented two papers at #ecpr25 in Thessaloniki: 1️⃣ Brussels youth & their perceptions of democracy: ecpr.eu/Events/Event... 2️⃣ Urban youth’s expectations of political representation (with prof. @elinesevers.bsky.social): ecpr.eu/Events/Event... Thanks to discussants & chairs for the feedback.

New publication in International Political Science Review! Together with Didier Caluwaerts, I found that the relationship between polarisation and violence was weaker in countries with a federal system and/or a rigid constitution. Important contribution regarding polarisation's impact on democracy.

New article by DFuture colleagues @kamilbernaerts.bsky.social & Didier Caluwaerts in International Political Science Review: Fight or unite? Consensus institutions, polarization, and political violence in 113 democracies (1900–2023). 🔗 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

✨ Just out: “Ideas vs Interests: Explaining Party Elites’ Support for Party Democratic Innovations” by @thomlegein.bsky.social, David Talukder, Rangoni & @emilievh.bsky.social. 🗞️ Dive into the article: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Political science blog @ecprtheloop.bsky.social published a piece by @yunuspoblome.bsky.social, intern at @dfuturevub.bsky.social and the REDIRECT Horizon Europe project 👏🚀 theloop.ecpr.eu/jd-vances-in...

Our colleague, Ebru Akgün, from VUB @dfuturevub.bsky.social and @uantwerpen.be, presented her doctoral research at the 6th DiscourseNet Congress, held at @ulbruxelles.bsky.social (ULB) from 7-10 July.

🚨 Reminder 🚨 🎉 Call for 2 postdoctoral research mandates (1 year) at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) 🎉 🎯 Deadline: 20/6/2025

🌍 Hoe kan ecologisme méér mensen bereiken dan vandaag? Nieuw stuk in SAMPOL van onze collega Ebru Akgün en @evaplatteau.bsky.social (Vlaams Parlement): over ecologie, klasse en inclusie. 👉 www.sampol.be/2025/06/hoe-... #ecologisme #sampol #dfuture

🚨 Call for 2 postdocs! The EDGE team at VUB is hiring! We’re looking for researchers to rethink democracy in Europe: climate, representation & inequality 🔍🌍 Start: Fall 2025 Location: Brussels 🇧🇪 Deadline: 20 June Info & how to apply 👉 tinyurl.com/zpw3p6z7

Had a packed week at #EUIA25: presented my work on EU (in)security in post-2020 Armenia (coming soon @jcms-eu.bsky.social -stay tuned!) & discussed brilliant papers by @dfuturevub.bsky.social colleagues. We also stood in solidarity with Gaza & against academic complicity in the ongoing genocide.

😇 Want to get inspiration? Our latest PhD summary by Daan Vermassen is available #openaccess plc-journal.eu/article/view... and the review by Karen Celis plc-journal.eu/article/view... @dfuturevub.bsky.social

1/ My recently published article @ifjpglobal.bsky.social studies how feminist activists in #Armenia negotiate the European Union's interventions to combat domestic violence amidst competing pressures. A thread👇 tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... @giesugent.bsky.social @dfuturevub.bsky.social

Marie Curie Call for Postdoctoral Fellowship is still open: ‼️ DEADLINE 31/05 ‼️

🎉 Big congrats to DFuture’s Nino Junius & David Talukder — both awarded a FWO Postdoc Fellowship! 🧠🎓 🗣️ Nino: Can political parties foster inclusive, reflective deliberation? 🗳️ David: What happens when citizens feel underrepresented in democracy? We’re proud of this inspiring future research!

🗳️ What’s next for democracy? 📍 June 05 in Brussels → Join the BRIAS Public Forum on Democratic Governance – Challenges & Innovations. 👥 Free, open to all, packed with sharp minds & bold ideas. 🔗 brias.be/en/brias-pub...

Take a look at this literature review by Kevin Meyvaert @dfuturevub.bsky.social "A Lower Voting Age in the Low Countries? Potential Effects of Voting Age at 16 for the Low Countries". Now available in #OpenAccess in Politics of the Low Countries (Vol. 6 No. 2) at: plc-journal.eu/article/view...

🆕 New article by Nino Junius! Can mini-publics resist elite capture? If elections struggle, what about citizen deliberation? 🗣️ His study of the Ostbelgien model shows: yes, capture is a risk—but smart institutional design can seriously limit it. 💡 🔗 www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

🚨 Call for Postdocs! 🚨 VUB’s Democratic Futures Research Centre is looking for candidates for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025! Want to boost your research career in Brussels with top training & international mobility? 1/4

⭐I am looking for 2 PhD candidates w/ focus on qualitative representation research in my ERC project INCONEX at University of Salzburg! On the project: sites.google.com/view/inconex... Applications due: 2 May 2025 Full ad: sites.google.com/view/inconex... #EUsky #poliscijobs #qualitativemethods

Looking back on a very fulfilling day at @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social #psa25! ✨ I presented a co-authored paper with my colleague from @dfuturevub.bsky.social Daan Vermassen, to an audience filled with friendly faces from @warwickpais.bsky.social. 🙌🏼

🆕 New article by @hannahoorts.bsky.social in European Journal of Cultural Studies! 🔹 “Blending In and Sticking Out” explores how politicians like Assita Kanko navigate race & gender in performing political legitimacy—before being accepted as representatives. journals.sagepub.com/eprint/9PI82...

🎓 Onze 3e Bachelor Politieke Wetenschappen bezochten gisteren het Vlaams Parlement! 🏛️ Een inspirerende blik achter de schermen van onze democratie en de politiek. #VlaamsParlement #PolitiekeWetenschappen #DFuture #VUB

📢 New Publication! Didier Caluwaerts, Lien Smets and i.a. VUB's @bramspruyt.bsky.social have co-authored a new article in @ispp-pops.bsky.social, exploring the psychological aspects of voter behavior. Check it out now! 🔗 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

📢 New book chapter by colleague Nadège Boels! She analyses the EU’s use of sanctions in Belarus in EU Geopolitical Actorness in a Changing World. A must-read on foreign policy! 📖🇪🇺 🔗 link.springer.com/chapter/10.1... #EU #Sanctions #Geopolitics #Belarus #DFuture

Our Research Groups @dfuturevub.bsky.social and RHEA are hosting Amy G. Mazur for a talk on State Feminism in Europe and Beyond. 📅 Wednesday, 26 of March in our campus.

🚨 Call for Papers! 🚨 Join the "Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps" workshop @ #PoliticologenEtmaal2025 (June 12-13) to explore gender representation in democratic processes organised by @elisestorme.bsky.social, @merelfieremans.bsky.social, @annevanbavel.bsky.social and @margotthewis.bsky.social 1/2

🚨10 More days to submit your abstract! 🚨 Join us at the @warwickpais.bsky.social for an engaging workshop on #performanging in times of #polarisation!

📰 Our colleague @thomlegein.bsky.social was interviewed by the French online media of @mediapart.fr to talk about the new Belgian government and the broader European phenomenon of shifts to the right of traditional right-wing parties. Read it here 🔍 : www.mediapart.fr/journal/inte...

📢 Call for papers! Workshop "Polarising Performances or Re-engaging the Audience?" organised by @hannahoorts.bsky.social & @kamilbernaerts.bsky.social @uni-of-warwick.bsky.social 📝 Abstract deadline: 28/02/2025 🎤 Keynote: Prof. Paula Diehl 📍 Free & in-person (lunch provided!) [SUBMISSION BELOW!]

Politiek dan toch nog steeds vooral een mannenzaak? De evolutie in de samenstelling van de federale regering toont een spijtige daling van het aantal vrouwen in ministeriële functies. Meer diversiteit zorgt nochtans voor beter beleid.

Check out this research published in Politics of the Low Countries 🤩 🆓 Available OPEN access #affectivepolarization

🚨 New article! Colleagues Henry Maes, Ambroos Verwee and Lien Smets published an article in @plc-journal.bsky.social toghether with V. Van Ingelgom & L. Knops. 'Affective Polarisation in Citizens’ Own Words: Understanding Group Construction' 1/3

Join #EarlyCareer Scholars #Citizenship @ecpr.bsky.social Next 🗓️💻 Jan 10, @1pm CET Sophie Smit @dfuturevub.bsky.social #Gender (non)conformity in #civic classroom discussions Laura Chaudiron @sorbonneparis1.bsky.social Rebuilding Beirut to forge the Lebanese #citizenship 👉 ecpr.eu/Events/295

Opiniestuk 💡 Naar aanleiding van het overlijden van Minister van Staat, Miet Smet, reflecteert professor Karen Celis in een opiniestuk in De Standaard op de verwezenlijkingen van Smet en de blijvende betekenis ervan voor onze samenleving. Lees het hier 📰 : www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241...

BRIO-studiedag! 💡 Op 23 januari organiseert BRIO een studiedag genaamd: "De Rand als regio? Gelijkenissen en verschillen in de Rand". Meer informatie hier: www.briobrussel.be/node/19221 Geef hier alvast aan indien u die dag langskomt: www.linkedin.com/events/72697...

👋 Hello Bluesky! The VUB Democratic Futures Research Centre is now here on Bluesky! 🎉 Stay tuned for updates on our latest research, insights, and news as we explore the future of democracy together. #PoliticalScience #Democracy #Research