Liza Mügge: 'Sylvana Simons is symbolisch van groot belang'

As long as it is not possible for a minority - no matter which one - to live in safety and without fear, no society is free and equal.

Michael Hunklinger
Postdoctoral Researcher (2022–2024)

Details: Created: 29 May 2024

Research projects on migration & race/ethnicity study policy making that targets citizens with a migration background, as well as transnationalism and political exclusion of racialized and ethnically minoritized citizens.

Projects Migration & Race/Ethnicity

Barriers and opportunities of migrant representation Barriers and opportunities of (political) representation of migrants Europe

Society is diverse and consists of people with multiple backgrounds so it could be assumed that political representation should also represent this diversity. But oftentimes parliaments are lacking that diversity and therefore the potential of bringing more diverse opinions and standpoints into the process of policy making. That is why it is all the more important to take a closer look at cases...

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Themes

Project lead

dr. L.M. Mügge

Porticus joint research project with REPCHANCE funded by Bosch foundation
Misrepresenting Diversity? How personal identities clash with ethnic pigeonholing in politics

Ideal democracies should accommodate the full diversity of their citizenries. The follow-up assumption is that elected representatives should mirror the ethnic make-up of the population: if there are enough 'German-Turks' in the Bundestag, the Turkish minority is thought to be properly represented. But in fact, it is wrong to assume that citizens share interests and worldviews because their...

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Themes

Project lead

dr. L.M. Mügge

VIDI grant NWO

2017–2024
Priority Categories in Asylum Policy Gender Mainstreaming in German Resettlement Programmes for Syrian Refugees

Gender is central to the selection of refugees for asylum. The objective of this study is to understand how gender equality conceptions affect priority categories in asylum policies within transnational policy processes. Focusing on German resettlement programmes for Syrian refugees, it follows the selection process from category making to category implementation.

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Themes

Project lead

dr. L.M. Mügge

Research Talent grant NWO

2016–2020
Politics at the Intersection Gender and Ethnicity in Parliamentary Representation

Democratic societies view the representation of identifiable groups in parliament as a key means to give these groups political voice and to legitimize governance. While the parliamentary under-representation of both women and ethnic minorities has received considerable attention, much of this work has treated women and ethnic minorities as internally homogenous and conceptually separate groups.

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Themes

Project lead

dr. L.M. Mügge

VENI grant Dutch Research Council (NWO)

2013–2017

Former Members Migration & Race/Ethnicity

Natalie Welfens

PhD Candidate (2016–2021)
Interests: Gender, intersectionality, migration, refugee governance, deservingness
Sanne van Oosten

PhD Candidate (2018–2024)
Interests: Descriptive representation, diversity, heuristics, Muslim politicians, substantive representation
Ana Dorscheidt

Research Master Student (2023–2024)
Interests: Evidence-based policy, ethical policymaking, educational opportunities, social justice
Adriana Cassis

Visiting scholar (2024)
PhD Candidate (IMPRS-SPCE)
Interests: Transnationalism, migrant political behaviour, post migrant societies

Team Migration & Race/Ethnicity

Liza Mügge

Associate Professor
Principal Investigator
Political Science Department
University of Amsterdam

L.M.Mugge@uva.nl
Judith de Jong

PhD Candidate (2019–)
Interests: Representation of citizens with immigrant histories, identity misrecognition, barriers to equality

PhD joint with Germany Institute Amsterdam
Zahra Runderkamp

PhD Candidate (2019–)
Interests: Representation of women and ethnic minorities in politics and media in the Netherlands.
Melanie Ihuoma

Junior Researcher (2024–)
Interests: Gender, sexuality, intersectionality, race, class

News & Media Migration & Race/Ethnicity

Wouter Boonstra | Binnenlands Bestuur

16 April 2025

Politicus van kleur moet ‘harder knokken’

Politici met een migratieachtergrond krijgen disproportioneel veel weerstand en worden niet beoordeeld op prestaties, maar op achtergrond. Lees hier het volledige artikel.

Harder knokken. Politici met een migratieachtergrond in Nederland | 11 April 2025 | Event video

Tegen welke uitdagingen lopen politici met een migratieachtergrond anno 2025 aan in hun...