Arjen Leerkes appointed as Professor of Sociology of Migration, Security and Social Cohesion

In his chair, Leerkes examines how globalisation and international migration transform societies, and how states, cities and citizens navigate growing diversity and uncertainty. Arjen Leerkes: “This Chair allows me to deepen two interconnected research lines. With the first line, I focus on the operation and effects of immigration control in a globalised world. With the second one, I focus on the consequences of ethnic and socioeconomic diversity for social cohesion and institutional trust, with particular attention to issues related to justice and security.”

He is the Principal Investigator of several large-scale research projects, including the Horizon Europe project Finding Agreement in Return (FAiR) and the NWO NWA project In Search of Trust (IST). He also initiated the Legasy project, which gives asylum seekers a voice by documenting their experiences with the Dutch asylum procedure. His work not only advances academic understanding but also contributes to better-informed policymaking and greater nuance in a politically sensitive field.

Leerkes coordinates the Sociology track of the Master’s programme Governance of Migration and Diversity and chairs the Ethics Committee of the Department of Public Administration and Sociology (DPAS). He is known as a connecting leader who fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and places societal impact at the heart of his work – both in the Netherlands and across Europe.

“This chair offers a unique opportunity to contribute to fairer and more evidence-based approaches to migration and diversity – for example in return policies, neighbourhood safety, and equality within the criminal justice system.”

About Arjen Leerkes

Professor Dr. Arjen Leerkes obtained his MA (cum laude) and PhD in Sociology at the University of Amsterdam. He has been affiliated with ESSB/Erasmus University Rotterdam since 2009 and is also a senior researcher at the Research and Documentation Centre (WODC) of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security. Previously, he held a professorship at Maastricht University (UNU-Merit). His work has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, British Journal of Criminology, and Law & Society Review.