Niels Spierings

Dr Niels Spierings works on issues of inequality and participation, with particular foci on gender, politics, and islam. On these topics academia, media and society are often flooded with simplism and overgeneralizations. He hopes his research contributes to more accurate knowledge, understanding and some empathy. Geographically, he mainly studies Muslim societies, the Middle East, and Western Europe. In his work, statitics and survey research are combined with case studies, interviews and big data analysis. In his current work some important themes are:

• Democracy and gender equality in the Middle East
• Labour participation of women in developing economies
• Political and cultural integration of migrants in Europe
• Populism in European countries
• Social media in (Dutch) Politics
• Political participation and attitudes in the Netherlands
• Feminism and intersectionality in quantitative research

Publications

• Spierings, N. (2019). The Multidimensional Impact of Islamic Religiosity on Ethno-religious Social Tolerance in the Middle East and North Africa. Social Forces, 97(4):1693–1730.
• Jacobs, K. & Spierings, N. (2018). A Populist Paradise? Examining Populists' Twitter Adoption and Use. Information, Communication & Society, DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2018.1449883.
• Glas, N., Spierings, N. & Scheepers, P. (2018). Re-Understanding Religion and Support for Gender Equality in Arab Countries. Gender & Society.
• Spierings, N. & Zaslove, A. (2015). Gender and populist radical-right politics - Special Issue. Patterns of prejudice, 49(1-2).
• Spierings, N., (2015). Gender Equality Attitudes among Turks in Western Europe and Turkey: The Interrelated Impact of Migration and Parents' Attitudes/. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 41(5), 749-771.

Research grants and prizes

• 2020 - SPIRiTThe Socio-Political impact of Islamic Religiosity among Muslim citizens in Europe TodayMore information
• 2016 - NWO VENI: ‘Understanding the Influence of Islamic Religiosity on Democratic Attitudes in the Arab Middle East’. € 250,000; NWO 451-15-006More information
• 2016 - NWO MaGW Research Talent: 'Where are the Muslim feminists? Explaining the reconciliation of Islamic beliefs with support for gender equality and sexual freedom among Arab Middle Eastern citizens'. € 220,000; NWO 406-16-517 (main applicant; promotor: Peer Scheepers; research talent: Saskia Glas)More information
• 2008 - NWO Open competitie: ‘Breaking with fragmentation and mono- dimensionality: Understanding women's labour market participation in Muslim Countries’. +/- € 190,000; NWO 400-07-136.More information
• 2020 - Radboud Science Award: Tolerance in the Middle East (€5,000) More information

Projects

• 2016 - 2019PRiME: Political and Religieus attitudes and behaviour in the Middle East (NWO: 451-15-006)
  
• 2012 - VIRAL: Voting & the Internet | Research and Applied LessonsMore information
  

Courses

• Master Thesis Project
• Political change and opposition

Education prizes

• 2018 - Funniest teacher of the year: "A guy with intelligent humor"Study association teacher prizes (Sociology RU):
• 2010 - Radboud University: Young Teacher of the Year Award. € 2,500.