News
Belgian youth parliaments: saviors of the crisis of (liberal) democracy?
Since the 1990s scholars have warned for the crisis of (liberal) democracy. Studies signal a growing indifference towards formal politics, lowers levels of electoral participation, and reduced support for political institutions, especially among the young. However, there is hope.
SAVE THE DATE! Book Presentation & Discussion: Migrant Academics' Narratives of Precarity and Resilience in Europe
SAVE THE DATE!! Book Presentation & Discussion: "Migrant Academics' Narratives of Precarity and Resilience in Europe" When: 16 May 2023, 4PM-6PM Where: Pleinlaan 5, floor -1, room Lisbon/Rome MORE INFO COMING SOON - STAY TUNED!&
A bumpy road: the EU’s slow progress in decarbonizing the car sector
In a last-minute intervention, Germany blocked the agreed ban on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2035. This block risks derailing the decarbonization of one of the EU’s most polluting sectors, and is emblematic of the EU’s challenging history of trying to decarbonize the car sector.
Book Presentation and Discussion: An Ugly Word. Rethinking Race in Italy and the United States
On 13 February 2023, 4.30PM-6PM, BIRMM and EDGE warmly invite you to the presentation and discussion of the book ‘An Ugly Word. Rethinking Race in Italy and the United States’ (2021). BIRMM and EDGE are delighted to welcome Prof.
Welcome to our new PhD Team!
The EDGE family welcomes a brilliant team of four PhD researchers this year: Hannah, Henry, Lien and Ambroos. Let's briefly introduce them! From left to right: Ambroos, Hannah, Lien & Henry. Henry Maes is a PhD rese...
Why polarisation hurts some democracies more
All over the world, democracies are affected by polarisation. Nevertheless, remarkable differences between countries exist. Scandinavian countries, for example, do much better than France, the UK, or the US.
Why the Ukrainian crisis will not lead to asylum reforms in the European Union
In the corridors of the European Parliament, voices whisper of change. Some are ecstatic. Some are concerned. Most are doubtful.
Bodies and fields : Ukraine and the continuing story of war rapes
The most recent headlines about the conflict in Ukraine have marked eyes and hearts alike.
Vacancy for 3 PhD Researchers on Political Polarisation! Deadline: 27/5
The Departments of Political Science of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) are hiring 3 doctoral researchers for the project “The perception of differentness: polarization amongst citizens and dissatisfaction with representatives”...
Feminist Democratic Representation wins PSA Mackenzie Prize 2022!
Co-authored by Karen Celis and Sarah Childs, Feminist Democratic Representation wins the Political Studies Association's Mackenzie Book Prize 2022 for the best book published in political science. Congratulations, Karen and Sarah! " Feminist Democratic Rep...
Anti-Gypsyism: When a ‘Specific’ Form of Racism Is Considered ‘Reasonable’
Anti-Gypsyism is a complex phenomenon that exists all around the world. It concerns the historically rooted anti-Roma sentiment that translates into violent acts of discrimination against Roma people and their marginalization.
The interparliamentary oversight of EU agencies and laws: how to do it better
The EU’s legislative process and operational activities have a strong and ever growing impact on the lives of European citizens and residents.
Anti-Racism without race: why Europe needs to define what race and racism are
Before there is a discussion on racism it is essential to understand that there is no racism without race.
New EDGE Books - Open Access!
In the last months, three new (Open Access) books of our EDGE researchers came out! Find out more about them here.
EDGE Winter Break Reading
The EDGE team would like to wish you a peaceful and resting Winter Break by sharing with you one of the chapters of the first EDGE book.
It’s a man’s world
On paper, the equality between women’s and men’s political citizenship is guaranteed in Belgium. In practice however, I argue, this equality is not always lived up to.
Resilient Institutions: The Impact of Rule Change on Policy Outputs in European Union Decision-Making Processes
In this blogpost, we want to reopen the theoretical and empirical discussions about inter-institutional power dynamics in EU decision-making by looking at an underexploited angle of research, namely the impact of rule change on policy outputs.
New Doctor at EDGE: Congratulations Louise Knops!
The starting point of the thesis is the so-called 'crisis of political representation'; the fact that increasing numbers of citizens feel completely disconnected from political representatives.
New research and coordination assistant at EDGE: Welcome, Anne!
On 1st September 2021 Anne Van Bavel joined the EGDE team as a research and coordination assistant.
Do good fences make good neighbors? Voting across the divide in linguistically divided Brussels
In a deeply divided society, one would expect people to vote exclusively for politicians from their own ethnic or linguistic groups. But as it turns out, nothing could be further from the truth.
Call for Papers: A Second Wave of Anti-Racism In Europe?
Submit your paper to the two-day workshop “Antiracism in Europe” by 5 July 2021. This workshop is supported by BIRMM, BSOG, EDGE and RHEA at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Transitioning from online to in-person academic conferences: which pandemic-induced experiences should we keep?
The pandemic has changed the format of academic conferences for the better: moving from on-site to online. With the hope of keeping what worked well during the pandemic, I reflect on my recent conference experiences.
Everyday sexism and racism in the ivory tower
I analysed the experiences of female early career researchers on the intersection of gender and ethnicity in their academic workplace. Here is a summary of the main research findings, involving five Belgian public universities.
Book presentation: Local Power and Female Political Pathways in Turkey
The book is a contribution to studies on women’s underrepresentation in local politics. It provides an in-depth analysis of Turkey, a case that is often relegated to the periphery of the “women & politics” literature.
Zakiyyah Iman Jackson on race, species and becoming human
To highlight the International Day Against Racism, Zakiyyah Iman Jackson takes the floor to share her innovative thinking on the intricate relations between race, species and the idea of ‘the human’.
The politics of ecological doom: on thriving in the ruins
The present moment is heavy with foreboding. Reading this probably made you think of several different things at once: the pandemic, climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution.
Decolonising the University
BIRMM, RHEA, the VEN-network and the Race & Research Network invite you to join the discussion on how to decolonise universities and VUB in particular.
Upcoming PhD: Inan Izci. Join his public defense!
Inan Izci: "I remember one day talking to my supervisor at a cafe in Brussel. After long hours passed, I noticed the eyes of the waitress who, I guess, was questioning my sanity due to the talking performance."
Doing research on migration governance in post-dictatorship Gambia: reflections on my fieldwork
My fieldwork experience in The Gambia was a uniquely enriching experience and an opportunity to further learn and develop practical fieldwork skills.
Book launch: "Migration, Equality & Racism. 44 Opinions"
On January 21, our colleagues at BIRMM are inviting you to the launch of the VUB Poincaré book 'Migration, equality & racism - 44 opinions'.
Better late than never? A call for civil discourse in response to the riots at Capitol Hill
As I process the whirlwind of reactions following the riots at Capitol Hill last week, I would like to share my thoughts on three complex topics: President Trump’s divisive speech, the dismissal of media as fake news, the role of social media.
Writing a successful academic blog post: why and how you should do it!
In this post, I am going to share some resources and tips to write academic blog posts that I wished I had known about when I first started blogging.
Upcoming PhD: René Kreichauf. Join his public defense!
René Kreichauf: "My dissertation brings forth forced migration within the agenda of urban studies, and it provides new theoretical approaches and fresh empirical material"
Reading sessions on Decolonial and Critical Approaches to Muslim Studies and Islamophobia
Organized by IMMRC (KULeuven), RHEA and Race & Research Network (VUB)...-
Online platforms as definers and judges of freedom of expression. How platforms are responding to the ‘disinfodemic’
We argue that through their content moderation practices, internet communication companies are acting as definers, judges and enforcers of freedom of expression on their services. 
EDGE Upcoming PhD: Laura Westerveen. Join her public defense!
Laura Westerveen: "when I moved to Brussels to start my PhD trajectory I never expected to begin and end the writing process of my thesis while in lockdown"
Open vacancy: Post-Doctoral Research Position, Social Sciences
EDGE recruits post-doctoral researchers for a 2-year term (2021-2022) to strengthen its current research team and support collective research efforts.
Louise Knops at Le Soir: "Part of the population risk of falling into a harsher form of protest"
VUB researcher Louise Knops, ascribed as a PhD candidate at the Political Science Department and member of the EDGE Programme, discusses in an interview by Le Soir the political impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
EDGE supports the Afroeuropeans Conference 2021 "Intersectional Challenges in Afroeuropean Communities"!
Together with RHEA, EDGE is happy to announce the 8th biennial conference of the Afroeuropeans Network titled "Intersectional Challenges in Afroeuropean Communities". The Afroeuropeans Network conference will be held 7-10 July 2021 in Brussels, on the camp...
Power to the Connected? Exploring EU Member States’ Bargaining Success in Shaping Digital Policies
This blogpost offers a refined understanding of member states’ ability to successfully influence the outcome of digital policies in the Council of the EU by disentangling the role of coalitions and individual negotiators’ capacities...
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council.-
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council. -
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council. -
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council. -
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council. -
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council. -
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council. -
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council. -
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council. -
Calls for papers! Resilient Institutions: The Policy Impact of Rule Change in EU Decision-Making
Papers should examine 1) the positions of institutional actors; 2) the capacity to impose their policy preferences; 3) how this shapes policy change in the EU; and 4) the influence of the European Council.
Events
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: Sensitive Economic Personae and Functional Human Beings
Sensitive Economic Personae and Functional Human Beings.
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: Campization. Slow violence & the production of spaces of exclusion
Campization. Slow violence and the production of spaces of exclusion
In the aftermath of large refugee arrivals in 2015, EU regulations and national asylum laws were tightened, especially those regarding reception and accommodation.
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: Rage Against the Machine: The Emergence of the Norm against ‘Killer’ Robots
Rage Against the Machine: The Emergence of the Norm against ‘Killer’ Robots
Launched in London only five years ago, the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots has advocated for the ban of fully autonomous weapons.
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: The EU’s Representation at the UN Climate Negotiations Post-Lisbon
The EU’s Representation at the UN Climate Negotiations Post-Lisbon: How Secrecy Seeps In
The European Union’s participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is characterised by an informal division of labour.
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: Multistakeholder Governance of the Internet: a European Non-approach?
Multistakeholder Governance of the Internet: a European Non-approach?
IES researcher Jamal Shahin will present a paper that analyses how the internet has emerged as one of the key spaces for experimentation in future modes of governance, as different stakeholders in the global gove
Practical info-EDGE Youth Café: EU ELECTIONS, SO WHAT?
The event emulates the World Café methodology to create an active learning experience based on a conversational environment in which participants reflect on the value of their interactions with the EU.
Practical info-#EDGE Seminar: To Feel Politically Represented: What Does It Mean, What Does It Take?
To Feel Politically Represented: What Does It Mean, What Does It Take?
What does it mean and take to feel politically represented? How the social inequalities are reproduced through the unequal access to political power that is founded on such inequalities?
Practical info-#EDGEMethods: What is process tracing and what makes it good?
What is process tracing and what makes it good?
Process Tracing is often used as a term synonymous to case studies. Yet Process Tracing is a distinctive method that allows for within-case analysis based on qualitative data.
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: Do open-list support the representation of ethnic minority women?
Do open-list systems support the representation of ethnic minority women?
Research has shown that ethnic minority women, by being members of two marginalized groups, might either face double barriers or experience a complementarity advantage in the representational process.
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: Rethinking the legitimacy of EU referenda
Rethinking the legitimacy of EU referenda
Taking into account the increasing dependence of EU politics from the domestic context of member-states, this theoretical essay suggests that we need to rethink the legitimacy of EU referenda both at national and supranational levels, and i
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: Transnational Experiences of Women of Immigrant Origin in Political Office
Transnational Experiences of Women of Immigrant Origin in Political Office in the United States
Women, racial minorities and immigrants are disadvantaged in society, and those experiences influence their opportunities in politics as well as the content of their political work.
Practical info-#EDGETalk: Brexit and a Disunited Kingdom
Brexit and a Disunited Kingdom
In this talk, we reflect on the sociopolitical developments that accompanied or led to (a) the decision to hold a referendum about exiting the European Union in the first place; (b) the somewhat surprising outcome of that referendum; and (c) the vario
Practical info-#EDGESeminar: Europe as a Performative Act in Peripheries
Europe as a performative act in peripheries: Peru, Ukraine, Kosovo
This research proposes a performative turn to understand how Europeanization functions as an everyday project.
Practical info-#EDGETalk: Global-South Scholars in Global-North Universities.
GLOBAL-SOUTH SCHOLARS IN GLOBAL-NORTH UNIVERSITIES: POSITIONALITY, GENDER AND ETHNICITY IN ACADEMIA
Of Knowledge and Power. Of Centre and Periphery
A senior German professor of international relations, an older man I have never met, is a discussant on my panel.
Practical info-Online Seminar: Power to the Connected? Member States’ Bargaining Power in the Making of EU Digital Policies
POWER TO THE CONNECTED? MEMBER STATES’ BARGAINING POWER AND COALITIONS IN THE MAKING OF EU DIGITAL POLICIES
- Presenter: PhD researcher Clément Perarnaud, Universtiat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona.
- Discussant: Dr.
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Online Seminar: Igniting Political Representation in Times of Threatening Rhetoric. Voices from Women of Immigrant Origin
IGNITING POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN TIMES OF THREATENINGRHETORIC: VOICES FROM WOMEN OF IMMIGRANT ORIGIN
- Presenter: Jessica Rodriguez-Montegna, Joint PhD Candidate in Migration Studies and Political Science at Universidad de Granada & Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
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Online Seminar: Multiculturalism and the Second Wave of Anti-Racist Activism in Europe
- Presenter: Ilke Adam, Political Science Professor at the Institute For European Studies (IES) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (main affiliation).
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Workshop Politics and Governance
Resilient Institutions: The Impact of Rule Change on Policy Outputs in European Union Decision-Making Processes
Organisers: Dr. -
Practical info-
RHEA/EDGE Research Seminar: "Species-inclusive intersectionality"
RHEA/EDGE RESEARCH SEMINAR, BY MARISKA JUNG
Species-inclusive intersectionality: a way forward for political cooperation between animal and migration politics in Europe?
Mariska Jung is a PhD student at the -
Practical info-
EDGE Online Research Day'21
The EDGE Day 2021 adapts to the COVID related uncertainty by switching to a full online mode, yet without losing the spirit of the previous editions: to brainstorm on the main challenges of democratic research in a participative and dynamic manner.
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Seminar: Producing public goods in the field of refugee protection
EDGE ONLINE SEMINAR, 8 JULY 2021 (11.30 - 13.00)
Diego Caballero Vélez (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies) presents the findings of his doctoral research addressing refugee protection dyn
Practical info-High Level Lecture Series: Understanding Contemporary Democratization Processes in Africa
UNDERSTANDING CONTEMPORARY DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESSES IN AFRICA: IS THE DEMOCRATIC CHANGE IN THE GAMBIA STANDING FOR A WIDER DYNAMIC?
If a dictator falls, how can democratic standards become institutionalised?
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Seminar: Superordinate Intersectionality Contributions to the Critical Analysis of Extreme Right Metapolitics
SUPERORDINATE INTERSECTIONALITY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF EXTREME RIGHT METAPOLITICS
Presenter: Ov Cristian Norocel, Lund University
Discussant: Benjamin De Cleen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
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Politics and Governance' Webinar: How Does Rule Change Impact Policy Outputs in the EU?
WEBINAR: HOW DOES RULE CHANGE IMPACT POLICY OUTPUTS IN THE EU?
This webinar will analyze the main findings of the issue "Resilient Institutions: The Impact of Rule Change on Policy O
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EDGE Seminar: Violence against women in Belgian politics
SEMINAR: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN BELGIAN POLITICS. AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE EXPERIENCES OF BELGIAN FEMALE POLITICIANS WITH VIOLENCE
Presenter: Anne Van Bavel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
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Lecture: A new wave of antiracism in Europe?
A NEW WAVE OF ANTIRACISM IN EUROPE?AN INTERGENERATIONAL CONVERSATION WITH PHILOMENA ESSED.
‘We are witnessing the force and momentum of what can be called a new, second wave of Dutch anti- racism, since the 1980s’ writes Philomena Essed in 2014.
Practical info-Feminist and Queer Solidarities [GENDERWEEK]
FEMINIST AND QUEER SOLIDARITIESA LECTURE PART OF THE INTER-UNIVERSITY LECTURE CARAVAN ON PALESTINE
The imposition of acceptable and inacceptable gender and sexual norms have always been central to the European colonial project.
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Migration Lecture Series - Webinar: (Re)Thinking Europe's 'migration crisis' through the lens of the vernacular - A lecture by Nick Vaughan-Williams
As a part of the new Migration Lecture Series, we are welcoming Nick Vaughan-Williams, professor at the Universty of Warwick.
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Migration Lecture Series: Repertoires of Migration Governance in the European Union - A lecture by Andrew Geddes
As part of the new Migration Lecture Series, we are welcoming Andrew Geddes, chair of the Migration Policy Centre.
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Research Seminar: Immigration Federalism - Conceptualizing the Role of Constituent Units
On 27 April 2022, the VUB's Brussels Interdisciplinary Research centre for Migration and Minorities (BIRMM) and EDGE are welcoming Catherine Xhardez to talk about her research on the role of subnational units in im
Practical info-Lecture by Sam Bennett: Doing Qualitative (Discourse) Analysis on Twitter
On Thursday 28 April 2022, 9.30-11.30, Prof. Sam Bennett will give a lecture on 'Doing Qualitative (Discourse) Analysis on Twitter'. More info below!
Abstract
Practical info-Research Day: Visual, Spatial & Affective Participatory Research Methods
Save the date for our next joint Research Day, co-organized by the Brussels Interdisciplinary Research centre on Migration and Minorities (BIRMM), the strategic research programme Evaluating Democratic Governance in Europe (EDGE
Practical info-Afroeuropeans Conference 2022
The 8th Biennial Afroeuropeans Network Conference “Intersectional Challenges in Afroeuropean Communities” will take place from 22–24 September 2022.
Practical info-A conversation about Markus Thiel’s latest book “The European Union’s International Promotion of LGBTI Rights: Promises and Pitfalls”
This book critically analyz
