Political Science in Groningen

Political scientists at the University of Groningen work across five different faculties, deepening and broadening our knowledge about power, democracy, conflict, cooperation, and the legitimacy of governance.

At the Faculty of Arts, you will find us in the Department of International Relations and International Organizations, where we take a critical look at how power can be used and expanded to bring new global issues to the agenda, or to argue that existing policies in global politics are so important that the safety of communities and states is at risk. In the field of European politics, we also examine transnational dynamics and how language can reveal and change power relationships and political boundaries. Much of our research takes place in the framework of the Rudolf Agricola School research theme Democracy & Governance.

At the Faculty of Law, we collaborate with legal experts specializing in administrative law to explore how politics and law relate at the national, European, and international level.

Answers to the question of how to organize a just society and how private actors like companies can contribute to this can be found at the Faculty of Philosophy.

At Campus Fryslân in Leeuwarden, the question of how leadership can contribute to a sustainable world is at the heart of our work.

The University of Groningen also hosts the Documentation Center for Dutch Political Parties (DNPP). Since 1973, the DNPP has been dedicated to studying the development and functioning of the party system in the Netherlands and Europe. The DNPP conducts its own research and collects and makes accessible material on political parties and party democracy. You will find nearly all publications and other materials produced by Dutch political parties, both past and present—from foundational programs to brochures, from academic journals to campaign materials. A large portion of the collection has been digitized. You can explore items such as posters, slogans, strategies, and curiosities used by Dutch politicians over the years to win votes.

And of course, we are also present at the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences. In the Sociology program, political science courses are taught starting in the first year, and the program offers a master's specialization in Politics, Society, and Policy. Central themes in research at the Sociology department include cooperation between and within groups, where social dilemmas play a key role, and the integration of groups with different norms, separated networks, or polarized opinions. The Groningen Sociology department is the lead organizer of the renowned research school Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS), the NWO Gravity Program SCOOP, and the NWO-Summit Program SOCION.

Curious about who we are? Here you will find an overview of all political scientists connected to the University of Groningen.