- Sociology of Popular Music
- Inclusion
- Well-Being
- +۱۲ مورد دیگر
Pauwke Berkers is a full professor of Sociology of Popular Music at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication, Erasmus University Rotterdam, where he is also head of the Department of Arts and Culture Studies. He specializes in the sociology of popular music with a focus on inclusion, well-being, and resilience. Berkers co-founded the Rotterdam Popular Music Studies (RPMS) research group and the EUR minor MU$IC, and is a founding member of the Rotterdam Arts and Sciences Lab and part of the EUR Cultuurcampus core team. His educational background includes an MA in Sociology from Tilburg University, where he specialized in the sociology of arts and culture, with a thesis on women in punk and feminism. He completed his PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, studying the integration of ethnic minority authors into literary mainstreams in the U.S., the Netherlands, and Germany. Berkers' research spans cultural sociology, focusing on social inequality, boundary work, authenticity, and stigmatization in music. His recent work explores well-being and resilience in the music ecosystem, including projects like NWO Smart Culture's POPLIVE and a pilot on resilience principles with Codarts and Utrecht University. He has led major initiatives such as the HERA project FestiVersities and the EUR Fellowship Hearing Diversities. The most recent publications reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend, merging cultural sociology with emotional and interactional theory, especially in the 2025 book A Sociology of Awkwardness , which introduces a new theoretical framework for understanding social discomfort. Other works address gender inequality in metal, music festivals, and fair pay for artists, demonstrating a consistent focus on equity, inclusion, and systemic change in cultural sectors. Berkers has not received explicitly mentioned scientific awards in the provided texts. However, his leadership in funded projects and public engagement highlights significant recognition. He supervises PhD candidates, including Wessel Coppes, and has secured multiple grants from NWO, EUR, and other funding bodies. His research often involves collaboration with arts councils, municipalities, and cultural institutions, such as the Rotterdam Arts Council and the City of The Hague. He is currently active in the National Workgroup Inclusion, advising on cultural policy. Berkers is involved in several research groups and labs, including RPMS, Rotterdam Arts and Sciences Lab, and Cultuurcampus. His collaborative projects with Codarts Rotterdam and Utrecht University emphasize transdisciplinary approaches to music, well-being, and resilience.









