Migration, Securitization and Social Cohesion  
 
 

 

CURRICULUM VITAE

Expertise: effectiveness and legitimacy of immigration regimes (immigration detention, assisted and forced return, admission requirements and their implementation, migration policing, integration policy); immigration and crime; intra-EU migration; transnationalism; neighbourhood safety and social cohesion; quantitative research; qualitative research; mixed method approaches.

Work experience

2018-Now Full Professor of Migration, Securitization and Social Cohesion, Maastricht Graduate School of Governance
2014-Now Associate Professor of Sociology Erasmus University Rotterdam (0.8 fte, permanent position).
2008-Now Researcher at the Research and Documentation Center (WODC) of the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice (initially 0.8 fte, 0.2 fte since 2009, permanent position).
2009-2013 Assistant Professor of Sociology Erasmus University Rotterdam (0.8 fte) – tenure track.
2003-2007  PhD student at the ASSR. (In the Netherlands, PhD students have limited teaching obligations and are considered employees.)
2002-2005   Junior Researcher Rotterdam Institute for Social Scientific Policy Research (RISBO) at Erasmus University (EUR).
2001-2002   Junior Researcher ‘Regioplan’ (policy research organisation owned by Cap Gemini / Ernst & Young).
2000-2001   Scientific researcher at the University of Amsterdam.
1999       Social Researcher Amsterdam police.

 

Education and courses (selection):
2016 VIDI training
2013 Basic Teaching Qualification (Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs)
2012 Academic Leadership Course
2003-2007 PhD in Sociology at the Amsterdam School for Social Scientific Research, University of Amsterdam,  December 18th 2007, Advisor (promotor): Prof. Dr. G. Engbersen
2006  Oslo University Summer School 'Globalization and Social Inequality'
2005 IMISCOE Summer School 'Theories on International Migration and Social Integration'
2003 Intensive PhD course by Prof. dr. Saskia Sassen
1992-1999 Master in Sociology, University of Amsterdam (cum laude), Propaedeutics Sociology, University of Amsterdam (1993), Propedeutics Philosophy, University of Amsterdam (1993)
1985-1991 Pre-university education (VWO), het Wagenings Lyceum (Mathematics A (8), Mathematics B (9), English (8), Dutch (7), History (8), Physics (7), Chemistry (7)).

Languages: Dutch (native speaker), English (very good, C1 level, with C2 level for listening), Spanish (good), German (reading), French (basic knowledge).


Publications

I deliberately pursue a mixed publication strategy. I published 27 international publications (including 17 SSCI articles in leadings journals in migration studies, sociology, urban studies, public administration and criminology, and two publications in edited volumes by Oxford University Press) as well as 48 Dutch publications (reports, scientific articles, books, letters to the editor). Several Dutch publications have demonstrably influenced policy and law in the Netherlands.

Research grants, awards, and other money earning activities

Year

Summer School Refugee Migration and Integration University of Amsterdam

2017

Summer School Centre for International Education and Exchange (CIEE) Migration in Europe (for American professors), Amsterdam

2017

Erasmus Initiative Vital Cities: youth-police interactions in superdiverse societies (PhD project)

2017

WODC. Postprocedural mobility among asylum residence permit holders

2017

EUR Fellowship From ‘hard’ to ‘soft’: Understanding European deportation regimes (The Fellowship is part of the Erasmus talent programme)

2017

Fellow at Erasmus University College

2017

Doctoral thesis committee, Clement Senarclens,

2016

Doctoral thesis committee Erlend Paasche, University of Oslo

2016

Lecture on migration control, Helsinki, European Migration Network Finland

2016

Summer School Refugee Migration and Integration University of Amsterdam

2016

Lecture on return migration, Brussels, European Migration Network Belgium

2016

Fellow at Erasmus University College

2016

Position paper ‘Landen in Nederland’ on integration and return among asylum migrants in the Netherlands. Ministry of Social Affairs (with Dr. P. Scholten, EUR)

2015

Neighbourhood safety in Rotterdam. Rotterdam municipality (with Dr. E. Snel, EUR)

2014

‘Unregistered children with an EU background’. Rotterdam municipality (with Drs. J. De Boom, RISBO).

2014

International expert Euromed III Migration Profile Process Meeting, Liege

2013

Migration trajectories among migrants from Central and Eastern Europe. Ministry of Home Affairs (with Prof. Dr. G. Engbersen and Prof Dr. J. Dagevos)

2013

Best paper prize Turkish Migration in Europe Conference, Regent’s Centre for Transnational Study, Regent University London (with Dr. I. Kulu-Glasgow)

2012

Interaction styles in immigration detention and the effects of detention on the migration preferences of migrants. Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen (with Dr. T. Molleman)

2012

Determinants of Assisted Return among rejected asylum seekers. Ministry of Security and Justice, Directie Migratiebeleid (DMB)

2011

Chapter on illegal migration for the WODC Migratiekaart (with Prof dr. G. Engbersen (EUR) and Drs. J. de Boom (RISBO))

2011

Training Royal Military Police (KMAR)

2010

NWO VENI grant

2008

Crime among rejected asylum seekers. Politie en Wetenschap, with prof. dr. G. Engbersen.

2005

PhD grant Amsterdam School for Social Scientific Research (open competition)

2003

In the 2015 NWO VIDI round, I received one A+ and 2 A’s, leading to the qualification ‘very good’ (with the qualification very good to excellent (2.1) for the quality of the candidate). I was among the 27 candidates (of 131 candidates who had submitted a proposal in my field) who were invited by the VIDI commission. I then obtained a EUR fellowship in 2017 on the basis of that proposal.

International activities

  • Member of IMISCOE, the European research network on migration and integration (since 2005).
  • Visiting Fellow, Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford (2012).
  • I initiated three international research projects, one with Mark Leach and James Bachmeier, PhD (Penn State University) and one with Monica Varsanyi, PhD (John Jay College and CUNY Graduate Center New York). The results were published in Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Police Quarterly and International Migration Review. One international research project (with Prof Ramiro Martinez of Northeastern Univerity, Boston, is still ongoing).
  • Since 2005, I presented papers at 32 international conferences (7 times by invitation and partially or fully paid by the organisers). These included: IMISCOE Annual Conferences (9x), European Society of Criminology Annual Conference (3x), Law & Society Association Annual Conference (3x), American Sociological Association Annual Conference (3x), American Society of Criminology, Boston College by invitation of Prof D. Kanstroom (Post-deportation human rights project), Social Science and History Association, European Sociological Association, NORFACE, CINETS, European Science Foundation,  International Migration Institute (by invitation of Prof H. De Haas), PRIO, Metropolis, Volkswagenstiftung, Milan University (invitation by Prof. M. Ambrosini), University of Vienna (invitation by Prof. S. Rosenberger). I have organised and chaired sessions at various IMISCOE conferences and meetings of the European Society of Criminology, as well CINETS Crimmigration Conferences. During the IMISCOE Annual conference in 2012 I organised a book presentation by Daniel Kanstroom (Boston College) on Aftermath: Deportation Law and the American Diaspora. 
  • Guest lectures at Oxford University, Albany State University, University of Plymouth, University of Antwerpen.
  • Member of the Editorial Board of The International Criminal Justice Review.
  • Member of American Sociological Association and the European Society of Criminology.
  • Advisor for: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), International Detention Coalition, Post-Deportation Human Rights Project (Boston), European Migration Network, Euromed Migration.
  • In 2009, I visited various prominent scientists and institutions in my field, including Prof. D. Massey, Prof. W. Cornelius, Prof. J. Hagan, Prof. R. Martinez, Dr. R. Koslowski, Migration Policy Institute.
  • Teacher at the Summer School International Migration and Integration (2016) (University of Amsterdam).
  • My first academic research project (Van San & Leerkes, 2001) was financed by the Belgium Ministry of Justice and concerned Belgium.

Other scientific activitities

  • Reviewer for (in alphabetical order) Comparative Migration Studies;  Demography; European Journal of Criminology; European Sociological Review; Global Crime; Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies; Journal of Housing and the Built Environment; Journal of Urban Affairs; Migrantenstudies; Political Geography; Social Policy and Society; Social Science Quarterly; Sociologie; Territory, Politics, Governance; Tijdschrift voor Criminologie.
  • Reviewer for Economic and Social Research Council (UK),  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO), Polish Academy of Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Canada).
  • Board member of the Dutch Association for Migration Research (DAMR).  
  • Guest lectures and presentations at various Dutch universities, institutes and conferences (Leiden University, University of Amsterdam, Maastricht University, Dag van de Sociologie, NVC congres, NIDI, DAMR).
  • Member of the Rotterdam Excellence Initiative on vulnerable youth (partnership of Sociology, Educational Research (Pedagogiek) and Addiction Research Institute (IVO)) (2016).
  • PhD thesis committees: Özge Bilgili (Maastricht University), Vasco Lub (Erasmus University), Erlend Paasche (Oslo University), Clément de Senarclens (University of Neuchâtel), Iraklis Dimitriadis (University of Milan).
  • Member NWO Committee PhD grants for teachers (2016).
  • I acted as a supervisor for the dissertation by Dr. Mariette Lusse (2013); I currently supervise five PhD students (Lars Breuls, Free University Brussels,  Lika Sanikidze, Maastricht University, Amber Khan, Maastricht University, Willemijn Bezemer, Erasmus University Rotterdam. I also have ample experience in supervising younger researchers, partly in my capacity as a senior researcher at the WODC or by jointly publishing with younger researchers on the basis of joint research (such as with Mieke Kox, a PhD student at the EUR Law faculty).

Teaching experience

  • I designed and directed the following courses:
  • Sociologische puzzels (2018). A Bachelor 3 course that prepares sociology students for their Bachelor thesis projects.
  • Sociology of Migration and Diversity (2016). This course is part of the interdisciplinary LDE (Leiden Delft Erasmus) Master Governance of Migration and Diversity.
  • Sociology of Deviance (2012-now). A Problem Based Learning course in for third year sociology students and exchange students. This was among the most popular courses of the Sociology Bachelor programme; I now give the course at Erasmus University College.
  • Minor De Sociologische blik (2014-now).
  • Minor Migratie en Diversiteit: governance in de multicuturele samenleving (2014-now).
  • Practice research (‘Leeronderzoek’) for pre-master students (2010-2014).
  • I have been the first supervisor of 36 Master students (35 of whom successfully completed their thesis). These students all obtained grades in the 6.5 to 8.5 range (4x cum laude). I also was the main supervisor of about 50 Bachelor theses and the second supervisor of about 35 Master theses and 45 Bachelor theses.
  • In the last five years, Erasmus University assessed my teaching activities as ‘strongly above the requirements’ (2013), ‘meets the requirements’ (2014), ‘above the requirements’ (2015) and ‘above the requirements’ (2016), ‘strongly above the requirements’ (2017). There are various student testimonials at my website.

Administrative and management experience

  • Board member of the Dutch Association for Migration Research (DAMR) (2016-now)
  • Coordinator of the Sociology track of the Master Governance of Migration and Diversity (sept 2016-now).
  • Coordinator of the Dutch Master and pre-Master programmes in Sociology
  • Member of the Examination Committee Sociology (2013-2015), including direction of the daily secretary of the Examination Committee.
  • Coordinator of the Bachelor-1 programme Sociology (2010-2013).
  • During various research projects at the WODC and EUR (not being PhD projects) I supervised 7 researchers at the PhD level, 7 junior researchers at the Master level, and 2 PhD students. For commissioned research projects at Erasmus University, I supervised 4 junior researchers, including 3 PhD students.
  • As a course coordinator, I supervised 4 Assistant Professors, 2 Postdocs, 4 PhD students and 3 (other) tutors.
  • Involvement in the Research Assessment (2013) and Educational assessment (2012).

Impact and valorisation

    • Advisor for various Dutch organisations: Adviescommissie Vreemdelingenzaken (ACVZ) (see for example their study De strategische landenbenadering migratie), Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen (DJI); Directie Migratiebeleid, Ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid, invited expert for the Dutch Parliament, Gemeente Rotterdam, Commissies van Toezicht, Europees Migratienetwerk Nederland, Amnesty International Nederland, Vluchtelingenwerk, Landelijk Ongedocumenteerden Steunpunt.
    • Advisor for various international organisations, including European Migration Network, Centre for European Policy Studies, Global Detention Coalition.
    • Interviews for all major Dutch newspapers (NRC, Volkskrant, NRC Next, Trouw, Telegraaf, Algemeen Dagblad, Metro, Parool), an English newspaper (The Telegraph),and various magazines (eg Vrij Nederland, Groene Amsterdammer). Interviews for various television programmes (Finish National Television, NOVA, RTL Nieuws, 1 Vandaag, Debat op 2, BBC 1 Look North, 'Max en Catherine', AT5 Nieuws, AT5 'Zwart Wit') and radio programmes (Radio 1, BNR nieuwsradio, BBC Radio 5). For an overview see my website (www.arjenleerkes.nl).
    • I occassionally publish articles and blogs for a broader audience (NRC, Trouw, Sociale Vraagstukken, Demos, the EU Forum, Versvak.nl).
    • My publications are used quite frequently: By January 26th 2018 my publications had received 1309 Google Scholar citations (H-Index=16).
    • My research has had a demonstrable influence on policy in the Netherlands, including on changes in admission requirements for family migration (one of my studies played a role in a decision by the European Court of Justice on Dutch family migration policies), integration of asylum migrants (the Dutch government now tries to match the skills of the asylum migrant and local labour market demands when deciding in which municipality an asylum permit holder will be housed; more opportunities for volunteer work during the asylum procedure), the Dutch regime for immigration detention (since 2017 there is a separate administrative regime with less prison-like conditions, and one of my studies was used by the government to argue for the change), immigrant policing (safe reporting of criminal victimisation by unauthorized migrants in a number of pilot cities), and demonstrable influence on a 2016 Bill by the Dutch parliament calling on the government to put pressure on state institutions to reconsider the term ‘allochtoon’ (especially when it concerns the so-called ‘2nd generation’).