October 9, 2025

Proud to be awarded the (worldwide) first ever Replication Prize in the social sciences together with Sergio Lo Iacono, Vincent Buskens, Rense Corten, Marcel van Assen and Arnout van de Rijt. Our paper reports the results of an exact multilab replication of a cornerstone experimental study on the competitive advantage of sanctioning institutions. Our replication project was financed by the Duch Science Foundation. The Replication Prize is awarded by the Academy of Sociology, a professional scientific association promoting analytical-empirical social science.
Open access to our award-winning paper »»
Award ceremony at the 5th Conference of the Academy of Sociology in Mainz »»

August 7, 2025

I am honored to be the 10th Vienna Karl Polanyi Visiting Professor for the fall term 2025. During my visit, I will hold a PhD-seminar, a workshop at Central European University and a public lecture. The topic of the PhD-seminar will be “Markets, Morals and Norms: Social and Economic Exchange in the Digital Society”. The seminar will comprise lectures, class discussions, group assignments and student presentations. It will revolve around the question how digital and social transformations reconfigure the foundations of economic life.
The event website can be accessed here »»
The PhD-seminar description can be found here »»

July 1, 2025

This paper concludes a most exciting project on the “Sustainability of Public Goods in a Changing Society”, which was part of the Gravitation program grant “Sustainable Cooperation – Roadmaps to Resilient Societies (SCOOP)”, financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
Open access to full paper here »»
Learn more about SCOOP here »»

May 6, 2025

Something I have pondered over for quite some time has now surfaced in form of this Annual Review piece. I hope this compilation of arguments, evidence and thoughts will help bringing signaling theory to the next level in sociology.
Open access to full paper here »»

December 26, 2024

After ten and a half years at Utrecht University, I will be moving on to take up a new position at my alma mater. As from February 1, 2025, I will hold the position of Professor of Sociology, with a Focus on Sustainable Society, at the Institute of Sociology in Bern. I very much look forward to meeting my new colleagues, attending to my new tasks, pursuing new research projects, and developing new courses.
The website of the Institute of Sociology can be accessed here »»

November 3, 2024

Cutting one billion EUR for higher education (per year!), stopping the influx of international students and banning English taught courses will catapult Dutch higher education and research into the 1950s (read more here »» or here »»). These measures are not only utterly shortsighted but also unnecessary considering how much Dutch higher education and research is spurred to serve economy and society.
Sign the petition! »»
Join the demonstration! »»