Public agencies are increasingly explaining and justifying their conduct in ways that go beyond what is legally required. This rise of voluntary accountability in the public sector is noteworthy,... Show morePublic agencies are increasingly explaining and justifying their conduct in ways that go beyond what is legally required. This rise of voluntary accountability in the public sector is noteworthy, especially in light of concerns about inadequate accountability safeguards in modern governance. The objective of this dissertation is to understand the motivations behind organisational accountability-seeking behaviour. Drawing from a reputational perspective on accountability, this dissertation investigates the following research question: What are the drivers of voluntary accountability? Based on a multi-method study of EU agencies, this dissertation shows that there is no "holy grail" of one dominant set of driving motivations behind voluntary accountability, although reputational considerations do emerge as a prominent force. While different mechanisms are at play, it is possible to better understand the drivers of voluntary accountability – both conceptually and in terms of motivations – by looking at the audience to whom account is rendered: the “forum” in accountability terminology. This dissertation finds that accountability-seeking motivations are intimately inter-linked to the relationship actors seek to cultivate and cannot be elucidated in abstract thereof. Hence, even though voluntary accountability by definition originates from the account-giver, the best advice to anyone seeking to understand voluntary accountability is to look to the forum! Show less
Previous research showed that students can perform better with teachers of the same gender. It is often suggested that effects of student-teacher gender congruence on students’ performance can be... Show morePrevious research showed that students can perform better with teachers of the same gender. It is often suggested that effects of student-teacher gender congruence on students’ performance can be explained through the role of gender stereotypes. However, empirical tests of these mechanisms are rare and solely situated in the ‘females in math’ context. As a result, still little is known about where, when and how effects of student-teacher gender congruence occur. In response, the main aim of this dissertation was to receive a better understanding of the role of students’ and teachers’ gender and gender stereotypes in student performance in secondary education in The Netherlands. This dissertation shows that student and teacher gender are related to student performance and that gender stereotypes are an important part of the puzzle that explains the role of gender in secondary education. However, context matters: student and teacher gender do not always relate to student performance and when they do the magnitude and direction of the associations can vary in different contexts. Show less
Discrimination, one of the consequences of ethnic prejudice and stereotypes, is a widespread issue that many people of color face. For example, approximately half of the Turkish-, Moroccan-,... Show moreDiscrimination, one of the consequences of ethnic prejudice and stereotypes, is a widespread issue that many people of color face. For example, approximately half of the Turkish-, Moroccan-, Antillean-, and Surinamese-Dutch who participated in a large representative national survey reported experiencing discrimination in 2020. Children are not spared from these issues. Studies suggest that the awareness of ethnic stereotypes and the development of ethnic prejudice start in early childhood. Theories on the development of children’s ethnicity-related views (e.g., prejudice, stereotypes, and feelings about one’s ethnic group) suggest that children’s developing knowledge about the social world is closely linked to the socialization agents they are exposed to. Unfortunately, research on children’s ethnicity-related views is rare in the Netherlands. Understanding the development and socialization of children’s ethnicity-related views is crucial for identifying ways to improve interethnic relations in the Netherlands and elsewhere. This dissertation covers studies into the development and socialization of children’s ethnicity-related views in the Dutch context. This dissertation contributes to this sparse literature through a series of studies that focus on the development and socialization of children’s ethnicity-related views through three socializing agents; wider society (Chapter 2), textbooks (Chapter 3), and parents (Chapters 4 and 5). Show less
How armed forces adapt to operational challenges has been a salient subject in War Studies in recent years. However, the process of institutionalization of such lessons post-conflict has received... Show moreHow armed forces adapt to operational challenges has been a salient subject in War Studies in recent years. However, the process of institutionalization of such lessons post-conflict has received less attention. This study seeks to examine military learning processes during missions and beyond. By synthesizing organizational learning theories with the literature on military innovation, it argues that there are distinct but related forms of learning during and after operations that are subject to peculiar dynamics. Specifically, this research analyzes Dutch and British learning processes during operations in southern Afghanistan and their enduring impact on the respective military organizations. The Dutch and British experiences and institutionalization efforts are reconstructed based on archival records, policy documents, official evaluations and over one-hundred interviews with service members, civil servants and scholars with direct involvement in the Uruzgan and Helmand campaigns during the most volatile years in the Afghanistan war and their aftermath. Show less
The decentralization of social care in the Netherlands has had a major impact on the professionals working in this field. This dissertation examines this impact by specifically focusing on the... Show moreThe decentralization of social care in the Netherlands has had a major impact on the professionals working in this field. This dissertation examines this impact by specifically focusing on the cognitive uncertainty experiences of social care professionals. It shows that cognitive uncertainty is a multi-faceted concept that covers different domains of the work and can have multiple sources. Contrary to the frequently expressed view in the literature on bureaucracy, this dissertation shows that rules do not reduce cognitive uncertainty. Leadership of team leaders, in contrast, can reduce cognitive uncertainty experiences of professionals.Moreover, leadership plays a key role in managing cognitive uncertainty. When properly managed, cognitive uncertainty can prove highly valuable as it can spur innovation and thus contribute to achieving the goals set in the decentralization of social care in the Netherlands. Show less
Focusing on how to explain the problems in creating a sustainable common security and defence mechanism for the EU, this research explores a causal mechanism based on the institutional gridlock,... Show moreFocusing on how to explain the problems in creating a sustainable common security and defence mechanism for the EU, this research explores a causal mechanism based on the institutional gridlock, member states’ preferences, and the characteristics of the EU strategic culture, and their reflections in the context of two specific policy issues (2011 Libya crisis and 2014 Ukraine conflict). It observes that three factors play an equally and simultaneously important role. Nevertheless, its empirical findings (e.g., the absence of an operational headquarters, military capacities, the issue of applying to EU institutions, local ownership, and political will) suggest considering other related factors in explaining the problem. For example, the main problem in institutional gridlock is the coordination problem of EU institutions. So, studies should focus on that, and the EU institutions integrated actions with member states. In addition, although case studies provide strong evidence, the member states' preferences should be analysed multi-dimensionally. Indeed, the research findings do not conclude that national preferences replace CSDP decisions or that CSDP actors affect member states through socialisation. Therefore, ongoing studies should focus on alternative explanations for socialisation. Finally, the research details the characteristics of EU strategic culture, stating that it should be studied from a holistic perspective, perhaps independently. Doing so makes an essential contribution to the EU strategic culture debates. Overall, this research produces more accurate explanations about the functioning of defence and security policies and the reasons for forming specific results in the EU and contributes to the existing literature by presenting alternative suggestions. Show less
In 2009-2010, the notion of a more ‘assertive’ China emerged in Western discourse, a viewpoint that China vehemently rejects. Nevertheless, especially after Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, it is... Show moreIn 2009-2010, the notion of a more ‘assertive’ China emerged in Western discourse, a viewpoint that China vehemently rejects. Nevertheless, especially after Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, it is clear that China has abandoned its long-held foreign policy doctrine of ‘keeping a low profile.’ This Doctoral Dissertation explains this shift by examining the intervening ideas about China’s desired place in the world. CCP propaganda offers compelling evidence that there is much greater continuity between the Hu and Xi eras than is exhibited in the current literature. Moreover, the Dissertation traces the deeper ideational sources of Chinese assertiveness back to the New Left movement and the Patriotic Education Campaign of the 1990s. Agency for the turn in the late 2000s and the selection of compromise candidate Xi is attributed to the choices past leaders made, with some Party elders ‘ruling from behind the curtain.’ Show less
Regulators interact with a wide variety of stakeholders, ranging from politicians, interest groups, to citizens. Communicating with these stakeholders is crucial for regulators: Amongst others, it... Show moreRegulators interact with a wide variety of stakeholders, ranging from politicians, interest groups, to citizens. Communicating with these stakeholders is crucial for regulators: Amongst others, it provides them with unique information to make better regulatory decisions, it can foster support for their regulatory strategies, and it can strengthen their organizations’ regulatory mandates. However, regulatory communication is no easy feat. Stakeholders have varying preferences and might react adversely towards a regulator’s public message – or stakeholders might not even be listening at all. This dissertation discovers how EU regulators strategically use communication to advance their organizations’ agenda. Through the blended use of machine learning and quantitative text analysis, it sheds light on how regulators interact with the news media, how various regulatory organizations secure public attention, and how they ultimately seek to protect their organizations’ public reputations. The findings aim to improve our understanding of “what makes regulators tick” and to provide evidence to consider public communication as an integral part of regulatory governance. Show less
Widespread developments in organizing affect how leadership is embedded in public organizations. The link between leadership and formal positions in the hierarchy becomes less straightforward,... Show moreWidespread developments in organizing affect how leadership is embedded in public organizations. The link between leadership and formal positions in the hierarchy becomes less straightforward, since collaboration across organizational boundaries and flexible arrangements parallel to bureaucratic structures are increasingly common. Leadership is further complicated by the typical reality of unclear or competing goals, tasks, and stakeholder interests. Since navigating in such an ambiguous and complex context often requires a variety of leadership behaviours, this dissertation introduces a comprehensive perspective on leadership as a repertoire of behavioural options. Based on four empirical studies, this dissertation examines how leadership behaviour repertoires take shape in public organizations. By adopting a repertoire perspective, this dissertation underlines that leadership behaviour takes on many forms and is used in a variety of directions in relation to multiple stakeholders – by both managers and non-managerial employees – and indicates that use of the leadership behaviour repertoire can be explained by variation in situations, organizational context, and individual attitudes and experiences. These insights contribute to contemporary challenges for leadership in public organizations in theory and practice. Show less
Het proefschrift is feitelijk een bestuurskundig vervolg op het bestuurshistorische boek ‘Betwist bestuur – Wijkraden en deelgemeenten in Rotterdam’ (2017) van dezelfde auteur. In het proefschrift... Show moreHet proefschrift is feitelijk een bestuurskundig vervolg op het bestuurshistorische boek ‘Betwist bestuur – Wijkraden en deelgemeenten in Rotterdam’ (2017) van dezelfde auteur. In het proefschrift is een uitvoerige samenvatting van dit boek opgenomen.In beide geschriften wordt vooral het bestuurlijk besluitvormingsproces inzake binnengemeentelijke territoriale decentralisatie van bestuur in Rotterdam beschreven, zoals vormgegeven door de Rotterdamse gemeenteraad en het college van burgemeester en wethouders. Meer concreet gaat het om de politiek-bestuurlijke besluitvorming op ‘de Coolsingel’ betreffende de instelling van wijkraden en deelgemeenten in Rotterdam tussen 1947 en 2014. In dat laatste jaar werden de deelgemeenten in Rotterdam en Amsterdam door een wijziging van de Gemeentewet opgeheven.In het proefschrift wordt de empirie, zoals beschreven in het boek ‘Betwist bestuur’ uit 2017, aan een bestuurskundige heranalyse onderworpen. Dit geschiedt aan de hand van drie bestuurskundige modellen om complexe besluitvormingsprocessen te reconstrueren: het fasenmodel, het stromenmodel en het rondenmodel. Door de bestuurskundige heranalyse komt met name de proceskant van het bestuurlijke besluitvormingsproces over decentraal bestuur in Rotterdam scherper in beeld. Succes- en faalfactoren om het primaire beleidsdoel – het beter betrekken van de Rotterdammers bij het bestuur van de gemeente en van delen daarvan – te bereiken, kunnen beter worden herkend. Show less
It is 26 August 2015, a crucial day during the Conference of State Parties in Cancún, Mexico. 67 of the 69 member states of the Arms Trade Treaty vote for a location of the new Secretariat. Three... Show moreIt is 26 August 2015, a crucial day during the Conference of State Parties in Cancún, Mexico. 67 of the 69 member states of the Arms Trade Treaty vote for a location of the new Secretariat. Three possible host states are bidding: Austria (Vienna), Switzerland (Geneva), and Trinidad and Tobago (Port of Spain). In the first round, Trinidad and Tobago wins with 32 votes; Vienna leaves the stage with only 14 votes. Switzerland wins the second round with 35 votes, versus 32 for Trinidad and Tobago. What did Switzerland and host city Geneva do right? What did the others do wrong – if anything?This book is about how governance networks in host cities attract International Organizations (IOs), and about how and why they fail or succeed. Scholars in the field of governance and public policy often agree that better policy alignment and cooperation in networks increase the chances of success. Yet, the findings of this study contradict this. Considering the interests of IOs proved to be more important than having matters ‘in order’ internally. Show less
There is no clear view on how accountability is organised in the context of transgovernmental networks. In literature there is predominant view that accountability is threatened by the existence of... Show moreThere is no clear view on how accountability is organised in the context of transgovernmental networks. In literature there is predominant view that accountability is threatened by the existence of transgovernmental networks. This dissertation takes a micro-level approach by focusing on participants of transgovernmental networks, to understand the dynamics of accountability in this setting. This dissertation makes use of theory building and testing. A theoretical model links the function and governance style of a transgovernmental network to the type of accountability that can be expected. Four distinct empirical cases show that there is a link between the level of formalisation of a governance style and the extent of control. Moreover, this research shows that the function of a transgovernmental network is indicative for the source of control. Show less
Malaysia’s foreign policy change toward China amid Najib Razak’s kleptocracy case raises a broader theoretical question: How is the effect of kleptocracy on foreign policy change mediated by the... Show moreMalaysia’s foreign policy change toward China amid Najib Razak’s kleptocracy case raises a broader theoretical question: How is the effect of kleptocracy on foreign policy change mediated by the political-administrative relationship? In the case of Malaysia’s foreign economic policy, despite the presence of high-caliber bureaucrats, they were unable to stop the over-inflated loans from being signed, as well as the fire-sale of Malaysia’s Edra Energy to China. Najib Razak not only managed to exclude those bureaucrats, he even included his allies to propose those loans from China, which ended up being used to bail out the 1MDB debt. This was also the case in Malaysia’s foreign defense policy changes. Despite the Navy’s plan to build the LMSs domestically, the kleptocrats purchased them from China instead. In fact, Najib even tasked his 1MDB ally Jho Low to directly negotiate the first-ever Chinese attack submarine port calls in Malaysia, and excluding the top military bureaucrats altogether. Accordingly, this research provides an insight into the dynamics of foreign policy-making in the case of kleptocracy that can be reflected on by other smaller powers around the globe, in the face of the US–China rivalry in the 21st century and beyond. Show less
Moving direct citizen participation away from the townhouse and onto online platforms is considered to be an effective government strategy for involving a larger and more diverse group of citizens... Show moreMoving direct citizen participation away from the townhouse and onto online platforms is considered to be an effective government strategy for involving a larger and more diverse group of citizens in decision-making and thereby making participation more inclusive. However, this claim is not yet supported by evidence, and neither has it been explored whether and how government can design online platforms that are more likely to attract participants from diverse groups. To fill this gap, this dissertation explores how the design of online participation platforms influences the inclusivity of online direct participation.In this dissertation, administrative and digital trace data are used to evaluate inclusivity in online participation, and through a field experiment it is established that design choices can indeed affect who participates. To make impactful design choices, it is necessary to understand what factors influence whether citizens participate in online platforms. By studying intentions to participate from the perspective of citizens, this dissertation finds that influential beliefs in the participation decision vary for citizens from diverse sociodemographic groups. These insights help to explain why online platforms do not solve all issues for inclusivity in direct participation, and provide suggestions for design choices that may activate harder to reach groups. Show less
This research revealed the role of leaders in relation to incident prevention in organisations. The acquired data showed that Dominance-oriented leaders have a negative influence on safety.... Show moreThis research revealed the role of leaders in relation to incident prevention in organisations. The acquired data showed that Dominance-oriented leaders have a negative influence on safety. Relation-oriented leaders appeared to be friendly people with no real influence on safety. Production-oriented leaders are real achievers, committed to meeting production targets. A new character emerged during our research: the Process-oriented leader. This leader proved a dedicated safety minded leader, who fulfils his production duties in a responsible way, taking care of the reliability of production without compromising the safety of his team members. Also, we developed a Risk Reduction Cycle, showing the risk reduction process. This model revealed that the recognition of risks and implementation of remedial actions are the weakest links. In conclusion, we argue that this research revealed that the effectiveness of incident prevention depends predominantly on the individual behaviour of their leaders. Consequently, in order to foster Process-oriented Safety Leadership, we recommend not to focus on operational safety practices to be carried out by the workforce. Instead, we deliberately emphasise the influential power of their leaders, and propose a set of Process-oriented Safety Leadership Principles, directed at the board room level of organisations and three external parties. Show less
This PhD investigates the development of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, with a particular focus on the distinction between terrorism and insurgency. The findings have been published in five peer... Show moreThis PhD investigates the development of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, with a particular focus on the distinction between terrorism and insurgency. The findings have been published in five peer-reviewed articles, and are joined by an introductory framework and a concluding chapter. The scene-setter contextualizes the problem of terrorism in Mali, describes the fragmented landscape of jihadist groups, analyzes how Tuareg separatism led to AQIM's control of northern Mali, and illustrates how shortcomings in national and local governance fueled insecurity. The second conceptual article analyzed whether AQIM should be regarded as terrorism, insurgency or organized crime, and concluded that - at the time of writing (2016) - most indicators pointed to the group following a strategy of terrorism. A treatise on methodology investigated the discrepancy between the international community's perception of Mali pre-2012 as a stable 'posterboy for democracy', while it was Mali that suffered a near-complete collapse in 2012. It concluded that a quantitative risk approach, rather than a qualitative threat approach, contributed to this misperception. The fourth article applied the first trinity from Clausewitz’s opus On War to Operation Serval, the French military operation to oust AQIM from northern Mali in 2013. Clear political goals, contingency planning, an audacious military operation combined with luck all helped France secure an initial victory against AQIM. The final article focused on potential pathways for AQIM to end, and concluded that in 2021 AQIM followed a strategy of insurgency, while much of the international response remained rooted in the paradigm of counterterrorism. Show less
In the past years, Mali has experienced an unprecedented rise in terrorism. After twenty years of relative peace, the country was shaken to its core in 2012 when a Tuareg-led rebellion overthrew... Show moreIn the past years, Mali has experienced an unprecedented rise in terrorism. After twenty years of relative peace, the country was shaken to its core in 2012 when a Tuareg-led rebellion overthrew the government and the northern parts of the country quickly turned into a safe haven for terrorist groups including Al Qaeda and - in later years - the Islamic State. From 2012 to 2022, a country that was once considered a prime example of African democracy, has been faced with a rapidly downward cycle in terms of stability and security. In the past three years alone, the military staged two coups and Mali is now ruled by a military regime. Two major military and political interventions by the French, operations Serval and Barkhane, the multiple efforts of ECOWAS, and a large UN-mission to the country, MINUSMA, were not able to turn the tide. In a country where it is already a challenge to draw clear lines between the multitude of terrorist, separatist, guerilla and auto-defense groups, it is even more difficult to understand how individuals become involved in terrorist groups. Seeking the answer to that question is the central aim of this study. Based on extensive research among policymakers, prison staff, the international community and those accused and/or sentenced for terrorism, this thesis conducts a multilevel analysis of the process of involvement in terrorism in Mali. The findings suggest that group-level factors including peer pressure, group think, societal tensions and fusion of values were best able to shed light on how individuals become involved with terrorist groups. Especially the relationship between citizens and the state turned out to be an important factor, with prisoners arguing they do not recognize the ruling elite, foreign actors or the borders of the country as they are drawn. With the combination of access to and analysis of unique primary source material, this study offers a nuanced and empirically grounded contribution to the academic and societal debate on terrorism involvement in Mali - with wider implications for the West-African context. While taking into account the inherently subjective nature of narratives, this thesis provides us with a better understanding of why individuals become terrorists given the specific cultural, historical and geographical context within which they have shared their stories. Show less
There are approximately 400 companies in the Netherlands that handle large quantities of hazardous substances (Brzo companies). They pose a major risk of damage to people, the environment, movable... Show moreThere are approximately 400 companies in the Netherlands that handle large quantities of hazardous substances (Brzo companies). They pose a major risk of damage to people, the environment, movable and immovable property. Since 1945 there have been 172 dead and 1719 wounded in the Netherlands.The government has a responsibility to ensure that the Brzo companies comply with legislation and regulations (compliance). Important instruments that the government can use are legislation, supervision and enforcement.In order to determine the current state of the quality of the government's implementation of this task, a study was conducted with the central research question: Is the quality of the current supervision and enforcement by the government such that the companies large quantities of hazardous substances are brought into compliance with legislation and regulations? A qualitative case study was chosen among five collaborating government supervisors. Document analysis and semi-structured interviews were used as research methods in these cases. A conceptual model has been drawn up.The study leads to the conclusion that Brzo supervision is in order quantitatively, but is sub-optimal in terms of quality. Show less
Online radicalisation has been highlighted by policymakers, the media, and academics as a top security priority in recent years. This thesis unpacks the concept by empirically analysing 201 Islamic... Show moreOnline radicalisation has been highlighted by policymakers, the media, and academics as a top security priority in recent years. This thesis unpacks the concept by empirically analysing 201 Islamic State terrorist actors in the US, discerning their pathways into their eventual activity and assesses the role of the Internet. The findings suggest that that while the Internet is ubiquitous, the online domain does not seem to be replacing face-to-face interactions, nor do terrorists that act online demonstrate substantially different experiences to those that do not. In fact, using the Internet may be a hindrance, rather than a help, to would-be terrorists.The findings also posit three interrelated radicalisation dynamics: Firstly, the consumption of propaganda is part of an ongoing socialisation process in which individuals take to social media to play out a staged authenticity to their peers. Secondly, an examination of the female terrorists shows that many use the Internet to circumvent gender restrictions and instead carve out a radical identity for themselves. Finally, the Internet can act as a “buyers’ market” of limitless information in which would-be terrorists can fulfil their needs in a space with fewer restrictions or constraints. The thesis concludes by outlining its contributions to the academic literature at the empirical, theoretical, and policy-level. Show less
The aim of this dissertation was to provide insight in interethnic prejudice of children in the Netherlands and attitudes and ideologies that they are exposed to through two socialization agents:... Show moreThe aim of this dissertation was to provide insight in interethnic prejudice of children in the Netherlands and attitudes and ideologies that they are exposed to through two socialization agents: parents and children’s books. Specifically attitudes and ideologies based on intergroup contact theories and diversity ideologies were of interest. This dissertation is a first step in examining the basis for applying prejudice-reducing theories based on social learning theory to the specific multi-ethnic Dutch context. Overall, results show that interethnic prejudice is found in various forms among young children in the Netherlands. Furthermore, intergroup contact approaches to improve children’s interethnic attitudes may face some obstacles, as results show that parents might be more or less willing to facilitate interethnic contact with different ethnic groups, intergroup contact effects are not always found, and ethnic diversity and thus indirect contact opportunities in popular books for children are somewhat limited. Furthermore, results show that multiculturalist rather than colorblind diversity approaches can benefit interethnic attitudes of children in dominant ethnic groups, but that the latter are prevailing in popular children’s books. This dissertation can help move both research and the development of practical programs on improving interethnic attitudes among children in the Netherlands forward. Show less
