dr. Vivian Visser

Research
Dr. Vivian Visser is assistant professor Governance & Pluralism at the Department of Public Administration and Sociology. Her research, positioned at the intersection of Public Administration and Sociology,  is characterized by its multi-faceted nature, addressing pressing societal transitions and their effects on governance, citizens, and civil servants. Her work emphasizes citizen participation, community self-organization, and the (re)production of social inequalities within these processes. Trained as an urban and cultural sociologist, she combines scientific rigor with societal impact, employing an interdisciplinary and multi-method approach that includes qualitative and quantitative methods such as vignette survey experiments, ethnographic observations, and in-depth interviews. Through her work, she continues to push the boundaries of scientific inquiry and societal relevance, exemplifying the university's mission to advance knowledge for the public good. For het outstanding academic performance, she received the Erasmus Research Prize 2025. 

Her dissertation, which explored citizens’ and civil servants’ perspectives on invitational governance, earned the Erasmus Graduate School Award for Best Dissertation and the Van Poeljeprijs for best dissertation in public administration in the Netherlands and Flanders. Building on this work, her current research investigates how status differences shape neighborhood participation and how public professionals can tailor participation approaches to different groups of citizens. Visser’s ambition to deepen this research includes exploring the role of emotions, public professionals’ social backgrounds and organizational contexts in fostering inclusive participation.

Her contributions have garnered significant academic and public attention. Visser’s insights have been featured in prominent media outlets, including NRC Handelsblad, Telegraaf, De Nieuwe Maan, Radio 1, and the podcast De Jortcast. Her work also appears in professional magazines such as Publiek Denken, Binnenlands Bestuur, and VNG Magazine. She gives numerous invited public talks, such as at the Nacht van de Sociologie, Dag van de Participatie and Studio Erasmus.

Societal Impact
A cornerstone of Visser’s work is her dedication to bridging the gap between science and practice. She collaborates with societal stakeholders, including municipalities and ministries, to co-create solutions for enhancing citizen participation. Her research not only informs public policies but also provides actionable tools for professionals to involve diverse groups of citizens, thereby reducing inequalities in participation and increasing the legitimacy of public decision-making.

Visser serves as the coordinator for several initiatives that promote the dissemination of knowledge and collaboration between researchers and practitioners, like the Kenniswerkplaats Leefbare Wijken. Through these platforms, she fosters partnerships that generate relevant knowledge on issues such as neighborhood livability, citizen participation and and public governance.

Teaching
Visser is a versatile educator with experience across disciplines and educational levels. Her teaching spans Public Administration and Sociology, from Bachelor to Master programs and post-academic education.

In her courses, Visser fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment where students from diverse backgrounds feel encouraged to share perspectives, engage in critical discussions, and apply their learning to real-world challenges. She views learning as a social process and incorporates interactive, practice-based teaching methods.

She coordinates the highly topical and successful Master Polarisatie, Democratie en Samenleving. She also developed and coordinates a post-academic course on participation in collaboration with the ESSB Academy and GovernEUR. This course equips public professionals with state-of-the-art scientific insights and practical tools to enhance participatory processes. Inspired by its success, she is now developing another course to help public professionals better understand and engage with discontented citizens, bridging divides between governments and citizens.