Michèlle Bal

Dr. Michèlle Bal is an Assistant Professor in Interdisciplinary Social Science at Utrecht University's School of Social and Behavioural Sciences. She holds a PhD from Utrecht University and previously served as Assistant Professor in Criminology at Leiden University. Her work focuses on perceptions of justice/injustice across three core themes: sustainable behavior decisions, radicalization/polarization dynamics, and health inequities linked to relative deprivation.

Research interests include social justice psychology, climate change communication, energy transition fairness, and cultural aspects of inequality. She leads projects like the FLY initiative exploring youth food lifestyles and the Fair Energy Transition Network addressing equitable sustainability. Teaching roles include coordinating Solidarity & Social Justice courses and advising MA thesis students in Social Policy and Public Health programs.

Key research contributions span over 50 peer-reviewed publications since 2010, with recent emphasis on complex systems approaches to health disparities, digital justice in welfare access, and cross-cultural attitudes toward immigration. Methodological strengths include mixed methods and interdisciplinary frameworks bridging psychology, sociology, and policy analysis.