Dr Judith Sijstermans

Biography

Dr Judith Sijstermans is a lecturer in Politics with an interest in political parties, particularly nationalist and/or populist political parties, and their relationships and networks at the European level. 

Judith was previously a Research Fellow on ESRC-funded project “A Family of Nations? Brexit, Devolution and the Union” led by Professor Nicola McEwen, which explores intergovernmental relations and a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham on the ESRC-funded project ‘The Survival of the Mass Party’ in which she researched the party organizational strategies of European populist parties and led research on the Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest). She completed her PhD at the University of Edinburgh in 2019 on political party learning between Europe’ sub-state nationalist parties, particularly in Scotland, Catalonia, Friesland and Brittany.

Office Hours: Edward Wright Building F73, Tuesdays 14.30-16.30.

Recent publications: 

Sijstermans, J. (2021). The Vlaams Belang: A mass party of the 21st century. Politics and Governance, 9(4), 275-285. Read here. 

Sijstermans, J., & Brown Swan, C. (2022). Shades of solidarity: Comparing Scottish and Flemish responses to Catalonia. Regional & Federal Studies, 32(2), 161-181. Read here.