Politics and Culture in Europe
Contact: Prof. Hylke Dijkstra (Director) and Dr. Toon van Overbeke (Academic Secretary)
Founded in 2003, Politics and Culture in Europe (PCE) is an interdisciplinary research programme at Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Maastricht University. It brings together 50 political scientists, historians and philosophers. The process of European integration since 1945 and questions of European democracy, governance, and foreign policy are central to the PCE research agenda. PCE researchers study the European Union and Europeanisation, yet they also contribute to debates on multilateralism and the global order, and take an interest in transnational history. Methodologically rigorous, the emphasis of PCE is on fundamental research with societal relevance.
Research clusters
European Policy and Governance
The cluster European Policy and Governance concentrates on the contemporary events, developments and debates related to the European public policy process.
For more information about this cluster, please visit the research clusters webpage.
Europe and the Crisis of Rule-Based Global Order
The cluster Europe and the Crisis of Rule-Based Global Order examines the ability of the EU to promote rules-based order in the European neighbourhood and global governance.
For more information about this cluster, please visit the research clusters webpage.
Democracy in Europe: Past and Present
The cluster Democracy in Europe: Past and Present focuses on the evolution, the dynamics, the institutional forms, and the contested nature of democracy across time and space.
For more information about this cluster, please visit the research clusters webpage.
Political attitudes and behaviour in Europe
The cluster Political attitudes and behaviour in Europe focuses on topics such as political attitudes, political behaviour, representation, responsiveness, policy preferences, legitimacy, citizenship, and emotions in politics.
For more information about this cluster, please visit the research clusters webpage.
PCE works in four research clusters:
- European Policy and Governance
- Europe and the Crisis of Rule-Based Global Order
- Democracy in Europe: Past and Present
- Political attitudes and behaviour in Europe
PCE research in the picture
Mariëlle Wijermars about Russian propaganda
In an interview for UMagazine, Mariëlle Wijermars speaks about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and growing far-right sentiment.
Hylke Dijkstra about a world after Biden
Hylke Dijkstra talks in an interview with Studio Europa Maastricht about tensions in Eastern Europe, and how the EU should respond.
Sophie Vanhoonacker about the shifting world order
Sophie Vanhoonacker reflects on the shifting world order. Is Europe becoming a world power?
Karin van Leeuwen interviewed in run-up to Conference on the Future of Europe
In an interview with Studio Europa Maastricht, Karin van Leeuwen reflects on 'who calls the shots' in Europe.
Christine Neuhold about the upcoming Dutch elections and the power of national parliaments
In an interview with Studio Europa Maastricht, Christine Neuhold talks about the relationship between the Dutch parliament and the EU.
Mariëlle Wijermars about the media in Russia and Belarus
In the new series ‘Digital technology: a double-edged sword’, Mariëlle Wijermars reflects on the role of social media in distorting our access to information.
Esther Versluis about our (in)tolerance for uncertainty
Esther Versluis talks in an interview by Studio Europa about our (in)tolerance for uncertainty. She explains her research into ‘wicked problems’, problems for which there is no clear solution, of which the current corona crisis is an example.
News
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Aleksandra Komornicka has received a Veni grant of € 320,000 from NWO for her project ‘The Market Next Door: Western European Multinationals and the Remaking of Central Europe, 1969-1993’.
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Janosch Prinz received, together with Enzo Rossi (UvA) and Manon Westpahl (Münster), a €310,000 Gerda Henkel Foundation grant for the project “Contours of a Non-Oligarchic Democratic Future”.
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Aline Sierp received €50,000 in the NWO SSH XS funding scheme for the project ‘When the Past Determines the Future: The Role of Memory in Foreign Policy Decisions’. In the project, Aline will explore how political decisions are shaped by history.
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Failure is part of life, but not something academics talk about often. In this interview, Aline Sierp discusses difficulties to secure funding.
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On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) is delighted to have awarded honorary doctorates to Prof. Dr. Liesbet Hooghe and Prof. Dr. Gary Marks for their joint research on multi-level governance, particularly in the context of European integration.
