Eline Severs

Eline Severs is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), where she contributes to the Center for Democratic Futures, Brussels Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Migration and Minorities, and the Expertise Center Gender, Diversity and Intersectionality. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Antwerp (2012) and previously served as a lecturer at the University of Amsterdam and as scientific coordinator of the Policy Research Center on Equality Policies ('Steunpunt Gelijkekansen').

Her research focuses on democratic theory, with particular emphasis on democratic representation, civil society and democratic governance, political emotions, citizens' conceptions of democracy, and the inclusion of historically disadvantaged groups. She has published extensively on these topics in scientific journals and edited volumes, exploring intersections of representation, polarization, and democratic inclusion.

Severs' recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on representative democracy and the 'representative disconnect,' with significant attention to youth political engagement, affective polarization, and truth in politics. Her work spans empirical research on Belgian and European politics, theoretical contributions to democratic theory, and critical analyses of contemporary political phenomena like Trumpism and post-truth politics. The REDIRECT and NOTLIKEUS projects form the backbone of her recent empirical work.

• Best Paper Award (2013 APSA Annual Meeting) from Sections on Women and Politics and Foundations of Political Thought (2013)
• Chair of the ECPR Standing Group on Political Representation (2021)
• Member of editorial board for Politics of the Low Countries
• Board member of the Belgian Organization for Political Science (VPW)

As a principal investigator, Severs leads multiple major research initiatives including the HORIZON-funded projects REDIRECT and G-EPIC, the Excellence of Science network NOTLIKEUS, and the VUB Strategic Research Program EDGE. She co-supervises a Eutopia-funded doctoral study with Michael Saward (University of Warwick) and has advised numerous master's students at VUB. Her research group actively engages with policymakers and the public through media appearances, podcasts, and public lectures, particularly through the Expertise Center Gender, Diversity and Intersectionality.