Staff & Members

ERCOMER (European Research Centre on Migration and Ethnic Relations) is an interdisciplinary network of migration researchers. We currently have twelve full-time staff members and eight PhD students based at the department of Interdisciplinary Social Science(Utrecht University), as well as affiliated members at ICS Sociology (Utrecht University) and institutions in various countries. Moreover, ERCOMER Utrecht organizes the two-year Master’s programme in Migration, Ethnic Relations, and Multiculturalism for highly motivated and qualified students interested in doing systematic (comparative) research in the field and a summer school on the topic. In addition, ERCOMER hosts international scholars to collaborate on research on migration, integration and cultural diversity.


Ercomer members

Staff & Members
Director of ERCOMER
Research themes: Nationalism, radical right-wing voting, intergroup relations
Staff & Members
Emeritus Professor
Research themes: Ethnic identity, cultural diversity, intergroup relations
Staff & Members
Prof. Dr. Louk Hagendoorn
Emeritus Professor
Staff & Members
Associate Professor
Research themes: Group identities, Intergroup relations, Historical narratives
Staff & Members
Associate Professor
Research themes: Inter-ethnic contact, social networks, school integration
Staff & Members
Associate Professor
Research themes: Interethnic relations, social networks, ethnic prejudice, ethnic/national identities
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Sexual and gender diversity, prejudice, intersectionality, health disparities
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Immigrant integration, transnationalism, education research, policy analysis
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Racism and ethnic discrimination in schools, culturally responsive teaching, intergroup relations
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Culture Wars, Orientalism, European migration
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Immigrant and refugee inclusion, community building, sexual and gender diversity, group identities
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Intergroup relations, refugee integration, prejudice
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Mobility and migration, life course and career issues, immigrant integration
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Prejudice, gender differences, Eastern Europe & former Soviet Union
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Processes of migrants' adaptation, migrants and welfare states
Staff & Members
Assistant Professor
Research themes: Intergroup relations, ethnic-racial socialization and identity development
Staff & Members
Postdoctoral researcher
Research themes: Intergroup relations, ethnic-racial socialization and identity development in youth
Staff & Members
Postdoctoral researcher
Research themes: Ethnic identification, intergroup contact, social networks, territorial ownership
Staff & Members
Postdoctoral researcher
Research themes: Cumulative discrimination (in employment, housing and childcare), educational inequalities
Staff & Members
Postdoctoral researcher
Research themes: Intergroup attitudes and relationships, sense of belonging, culturally diverse schools
Staff & Members
Ph.D. Candidate
Research themes: Intergroup attitudes and relationships, sense of belonging, culturally diverse schools
Staff & Members
Ph.D. Candidate
Research themes: Childhood intergroup relations, educational adjustment gaps, diversity education
Staff & Members
Ph.D. Candidate
Research themes: Ethnic relations, political narratives, racism, ethnic discrimination
Staff & Members
Ph.D. Candidate
Research themes: Social networks, inter-ethnic relations, school integration
Staff & Members
Ph.D. Candidate
Research themes: Ethnic identity, intergroup relations, social networks
Staff & Members
Ph.D. candidate
Research themes: Dynamics of intergroup relations and peacebuilding interventions
Staff & Members
Ph.D. candidate
Research themes: discrimination, prejudice, education, intergroup relations
Staff & Members
Ph.D. Candidate
Research themes: Migrants and welfare state, retirement preparation of migrants
Staff & Members
Ph.D. Candidate
Research themes: Intergroup relations, group identities, territorial ownership, immigrant integration
Staff & Members
Ph.D. Candidate
Research themes: Ethnic identity, intergroup relations, social networks
Staff & Members
Ph.D. candidate
Research themes: Intergenerational solidarity in the Chinese community

Affiliated members Utrecht University

Staff & Members
Prof. Dr. Frank van Tubergen
Department of Sociology
Staff & Members
Prof. Dr. Eva Jaspers
Department of Sociology
Staff & Members
Dr. Anouk Smeekes
Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science – Youth Studies
Staff & Members
Dr. Lucas Drouhot
Department of Sociology
Staff & Members
Prof. Dr. Gonneke Stevens
Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science – Youth Studies

Affiliated members Netherlands

Staff & Members
Prof. Dr. Fenella Fleischmann
University of Amsterdam (UvA)
Staff & Members
Prof. Dr. Peer Scheepers
Radboud University Nijmegen
Staff & Members
Prof. Dr. Jochem Tolsma
Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Groningen
Staff & Members
Dr. Michael Savelkoul
Radboud University Nijmegen
Staff & Members
Dr. Lieselotte Blommaert
Radboud University Nijmegen
Staff & Members
Dr. Marcel Coenders
Verwey-Jonker Instituut
Staff & Members
Dr. Thomas de Vroome
Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie
Staff & Members
Dr. Mieke Maliepaard
WODC - Wetenschappelijk Onderzoeks- en Documentatiecentrum
Staff & Members
Dr. Willem Huijnk
The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP)
Staff & Members
Dr. Iris Andriessen
Fontys Hogeschool
Staff & Members
Dr. Müge Simsek
University of Amsterdam (UvA)
Staff & Members
Dr. Agnieszka Kanas
University of Rotterdam (EUR)

Affiliated members international

Staff & Members
Prof. Dr. Karen Phalet
University of Leuven
Staff & Members
Dr. Valentina Di Stasio
European University Institute
Staff & Members
Dr. Derya Güngör
University of Leuven
Staff & Members
Dr. Sanne Smith
Stanford University
Staff & Members
Dr. Yassine Khoudja
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
Staff & Members
Dr. Anca Minescu
University of Limerick

Former Ph.D. students

Staff & Members
Over the years, Ercomer has supported numerous Ph.D. students. Here you'll find an overview of them and their dissertations