I am Professor of Theoretical Sociology at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of Utrecht University, a position I have held since May 1, 2011. On February 13, 2014, I gave my inaugural lecture titled “Cooperation in Context: Experimental Sociology 2.0.” Since September 1, 2024, I have been head of the Sociology Department.
I lead the research line Cooperation in Social and Economic Relations within the Sociology Department and serve on the board of the national research school ICS. I am also a member of the board of the SUMMIT program SOCION, which conducts interdisciplinary research into social cohesion. My main research focuses on the various forms of cooperation in society. In addition, I study how social networks influence cooperation—some networks facilitate cooperation better than others. For example, I explore how networks can be used more effectively to promote desired collective action, such as advancing the energy transition.
