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FASoS Research Institute

Moving boundaries, bridging disciplines

The research institute of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) at Maastricht University studies societies and cultures as they unfolded during the modern and contemporary era in a radically interdisciplinary manner. We analyse the interrelationships of Europeanisation, globalisation, scientific and technological development, political change and cultural innovation. We are interested in how today’s societies cope with and reflect these challenges in various ways. These could be artistic practices and practices of remembrance as well as specific forms of governance and political integration as well as strategies for managing knowledge, technologies and risks. While our research starts from today’s problems, we have a strong interest in how the modern world came to be.

Research

To nurture and maintain this kind of innovative, interdisciplinary research, the research institute of FASoS has created a matrix organisational structure. Its backbone are four distinct research programmes, each of which is composed by an interdisciplinary team of researchers. While the research programmes form the core of the research activities at FASoS, the faculty also has five centres as specific research hubs and to facilitate interaction with external academic partners and societal stakeholders. Together, the research programmes and the research centres provide a framework that facilitates flexibility, networking, and mobility beyond disciplinary boundaries.

News

TRADEPOL
  • Researchers

FASoS researchers join international research network on changing trade politics

Johan Adriaensen, Anna Herranz Surrallés, Aneta Spendzharova and Sophie Vanhoonacker are joining a new international research network that will study how geopolitical tensions and changing attitudes towards free trade are reshaping trade politics in North America and Europe.
Giselle Bosse
  • Researchers

Giselle Bosse Scientific Lead on Citizen-Centred EU Enlargement Project

The project aims to foster a more effective and resilient EU enlargement policy. CitiSense focuses on enhancing public understanding of the security, economic and societal impacts of enlargement by placing citizens at the centre of research, dialogue and policy development.
Portret Penelope Bollini en Bart Penders

Unique collaboration between faculties and University Library shows how ‘invisible’ knowledge workers contribute to Open Science

Knowledge workers contribute greatly to academic research and Open Science. To show this important work, Bart Penders, Yannis Stavrakakis and Penelope Bollini are participating in the project Invisible knowledge work and the transformation and scaling of Open Science practices.
zundert
  • Researchers

Joris van Zundert appointed as professor by special appointment

Joris van Zundert of the Computational Literary Studies department at the Huygens Institute has been appointed Professor by Special Appointment in Computational Humanities at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences with effect from 1 September 2026.
Matthew Archer
  • Researchers

Matthew Archer receives E.W. Beth Foundation grant for workshop on animal ethics and sentience

The workshop represents a new direction in Matthew’s research, building on his recent interest in the ethics of precision agriculture.