Luuc Brans

Luuc Brans is a Lecturer at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (Erasmus University Rotterdam) and a postdoctoral researcher at KU Leuven. He is affiliated with Harvard’s Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs and holds visiting scholar ties to Harvard’s Sociology Department. His work bridges cultural sociology and political science, focusing on climate crisis intersections with fashion, political polarization, and cultural inequality.

Education: BSc Political Science (cum laude, University of Amsterdam), MSc Nationalism Studies (cum laude, University of Edinburgh). Former fashion model experience in London, Milan, Paris, Amsterdam, and Tokyo informs his scholarly lens on fashion systems.

Research Interests: Investigates how climate crises politicize cultural industries, particularly fashion. Current projects explore ‘sustainable-cultural entrepreneurs’ and how cultural production inequalities fuel moral polarization. Past work analyzed fashion journalism, transparency apps, and EU/UN fashion policy reforms. Uses international fieldwork across Europe and North America.

Teaching & Outreach: Over 8 years of teaching experience from high school to master’s levels, including political science (UvA), sociology (KU Leuven), and civic education. Co-produces the Culture & Inequality Podcast with the European Centre for Culture and Inequality. Developed anti-disinformation media literacy programs across Europe.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with the European Centre for Culture and Inequality (EUCCI) through podcast collaborations. Maintains ties to Harvard’s Weatherhead Centre for research networks.