SCOOP researchers awarded Summit Grant by NWO worth 30 million euros for research consortium SOCION

We are very proud to announce that a group of SCOOP researchers has acquired a prestigious NWO (Dutch Research Council) Summit Grant worth 30 million euros for the research consortium SOCION. The Summit Grant is intended for research consortia that have proven their global academic excellence.

The SOCION consortium consists of social scientists and humanities scientists from five different knowledge institutions, and will conduct research into social cohesion. Per NWO, the SOCION research consortium, which builds on the current Gravitation program, SCOOP, proved its value due to its development of a working method for interdisciplinary research in the social sciences and humanities.

SOCION Summary: Social Cohesion-Towards a New Fabric of Society
"SOCION addresses a pressing challenge of our time: fragmentation in societies. Social cohesion is ‘society’s fabric’ that is key to sustainable societies and citizens’ wellbeing. It is increasingly undermined by erosion of and polarization between communities, factions and groups. In this project, psychologists, social historians, demographers, philosophers, and sociologists work together, in collaboration with civic organizations, to generate and integrate insights as to how connections between individuals, groups, and institutions contribute to new pathways to and forms of social cohesion. "

Researchers involved in the application:
University of Groningen:
-Sociology: Prof. Dr. Rafael Wittek (SCOOP Coordinating Researcher), Prof. Dr. Basak Bilecen and Dr. Liesbet Heyse (SCOOP Fellows).
-Philosophy: Prof. Dr. Lisa Herzog, Prof. Dr. Pauline Kleingeld, and Dr. Leah Henderson (SCOOP Fellows).
-Social Psychology: Prof. Dr. Russell Spears (SCOOP Board Member), Prof. Dr. Nina Hansen and Dr. Yasin Koc (SCOOP Fellows).
-NIDI: Prof. Dr. Helga De Valk, Prof. Dr. Kène Henkens and Prof. Dr. Matthijs Kalmijn

Utrecht University:
-Sociology: Prof. Dr. Tanja Van Der Lippe (SCOOP Board Member), Prof. Dr. Vincent Buskens and Prof. Dr. Eva Jaspers (SCOOP Fellows),
-Economic and Social History: Prof. Dr. Elise Van Nederveen Meerkerk, Dr. Maanik Nath, and Dr. Selin Dilli (SCOOP Fellows)
-Psychology: Prof. Dr. Naomi Ellemers (SCOOP Board Member), Prof. Dr. Jojanneke van der Toorn and Prof. Dr. Belle Derks (SCOOP Fellows).

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam):
-Philosophy: Prof. Dr. Martin van Hees (SCOOP Board Member), Dr. Phil Robichaud and Dr. Justin Bernstein.

Radboud University:
-Sociology: Prof. Dr. Ellen Verbakel (SCOOP Fellow)