I am affiliated with the Research group on Social, Political and Population Change (ReSPOND) at the Department of Sociology, KU Leuven. Our research broadly focuses on three interrelated social issues: changing family and population dynamics; socioeconomic, cultural, and political preferences and opinions of citizens; and the development and implementation of social policy and institutions of redistribution. 

With my team, we investigate social policies, their design and implementation through institutions and social interventions by social workers as well as their social legitimacy. It is of major interest how these elements interact, and we empirically focus on their outcomes in terms of inequality, poverty, employment and well-being for different groups at risk. Welfare states  are studied in relation to changing social, economic, political and cultural contexts, with a particular focus on new challenges and risks, including climate change, population ageing, migration, and artificial intelligence.

http://www.respond-research.eu

Senior researchers

• dr. Marjolijn De Wilde
• dr. Adeline Otto
• dr. Julie Vinck
• dr. Lore Van Herreweghe

Junior researchers

• David De Smalen (co-promoter with Jan Van Bavel)
• Valeria Ansaloni
• Eef Gijbels (promoter with Nicky Rogge and Julie Vinck)
• Janne Petroons (promoter with Koen Hermans, Nathalie Smuha and Jan De Bruyne)
• Lien Steyaert (promoter with Sarah Marchal)
• Joanna Geerts Danau (promoter with Julie Vinck)
• Jessica Steenacker
• Thalissa Renders
• Benno Stevens