Europe: Society, Politics and Global Order
Contact: Dr. Iskander de Bruycker (Director) and Dr. Aleksandra Komornicka (Academic Secretary)
Founded in 2003, Europe: Society, Politics and Global Order (ESPO) is an interdisciplinary research programme at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Maastricht University. It brings together more than 50 political scientists, historians and philosophers studying European societies and politics, past and present, as well as Europe’s changing place in the world. ESPO research examines democracy, power, representation and governance within and beyond Europe, as well as the historical and contemporary forces reshaping the continent and the global order. Methodologically rigorous and open to diverse perspectives and approaches, ESPO advances fundamental research that engages with pressing societal challenges.
View recent ESPO publications
Research clusters
ESPO 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
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.
ESPO research in the picture
Giselle Bosse about how the Hungarian EU presidency upsets Brussels
Hylke Dijkstra about multilateralism in Europe
Mariëlle Wijermars about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and growing far-right sentiment
Sophie Vanhoonacker about the shifting world order
Karin van Leeuwen about 'who calls the shots' in Europe
Christine Neuhold about the relationship between the Dutch parliament and the EU
Esther Versluis about our (in)tolerance for uncertainty
News
- Researchers
FASoS researchers join international research network on changing trade politics
- Researchers
Giselle Bosse Scientific Lead on Citizen-Centred EU Enlargement Project
- Researchers
Toon van Overbeke awarded Sabina Avdagic Early Career Scholar Prize for Best Paper in Comparative Capitalism
- Researchers