Politics and Culture in Europe
Contact: Dr. 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.
European Politics and Society in Numbers
The cluster European Politics and Society in Numbers studies changing public opinion, political representation and notions of legitimacy in Europe from a quantitative perspective.
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
- European Politics and Society in Numbers
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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The Centre for the Social History of Limburg is active in research and teaching, and likes to involve society as a whole in their practices. Via citizen science, they conduct research with the help of the public.
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The Centre for European Research in Maastricht and UM Campus Brussels often work together to create impact.
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As of 1 April 2023, Hylke Dijkstra will be Full Professor of International Security and Cooperation at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) at Maastricht University.
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From polarisation, misinformation and populists at home to geopolitical pressure from abroad: European democracy is feeling the strain. In an effort to uphold and expand one of its core values, the EU is financing a research project on the promotion of democracy. Professor Giselle Bosse, an Eastern Europe expert at FASoS, leads the work package ‘Democratisation and economic modernisation in authoritarian and hybrid regimes.’
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Yf Reykers, Assistant Professor in International Relations at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, has received a 1.2 million euro grant from the Norwegian Research Council to study the impact of ad hoc crisis responses on international organisations.
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Assistant professor Mariëlle Wijermars (FASoS) has been awarded a visiting fellowship at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS).
