Eva Østergaard-Nielsen

Eva Østergaard-Nielsen is a Professor of Political Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona since 2010. Her research focuses on migration politics, diaspora networks, transnational governance, and democratic diffusion in origin and receiving countries. She leads the ERC Consolidator project MIGRADEMO and serves on the advisory boards of major migration studies journals and the IMISCOE Research Book Series.

Her work explores how migrants influence political systems globally, including topics like emigrant voting rights, transnational political mobilization, and the role of diasporas in conflict resolution. Notable projects include analyses of migration-led democratic reforms in countries of origin and ethical challenges in researching vulnerable populations during crises like the pandemic.

Eva has coordinated national and international research initiatives, with publications spanning transnational citizenship, co-development policies, and migrant political representation. Her work bridges comparative politics, political sociology, and migration studies, emphasizing the interplay between local and transnational political dynamics.

Key contributions include studies on Turkish and Kurdish diasporas in Europe, transnational turnout determinants, and the transformative impact of migrant-led local politics in regions like Romania. She is a leading voice in debates about the evolving role of migrants in global governance and democratic processes.