Jan Vranken
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Jan Vranken (Vucht/Maasmechelen - Belgium, 1944) obtained a PhD in political and social sciences (University of Antwerp, 1977) with a dissertation on 'Poverty in the Welfare State. A historical and structural interpretation'. He spent his whole academic career at the University of Antwerpen from 1968 to 2009. Since 2009, he is an Emeritus Full Professor.
He lectured on General Sociology, on Sociology of Inequalities, on Social Problems, on Urban Sociology and on Poverty and Social Exclusion at his own university and at the Universities of Maastricht and Cologne. He lectured at the universities of Örebrö and Vaxjö (Sweden), Rotterdam, Leuven, Louvain-la Neuve, at the Catholic University of Bandung and the Open University of Moscow.
As a researcher, he founded the Centre OASeS (Centre on Poverty, Social Exclusion and the City - www.oases.be) of which he remains a member. Since 2010 he is also active in his own independent research centre (CASUM).
Some of his recent projects and activities within CASUM are:
- Expert for the collaborative FP7-project ‘Divercities’ (‘Governing Urban Diversity: Creating Social Cohesion, Social Mobility and Economic Performance in Today's Hyper-diversified Cities’), Collaborative Project (2013-2017; 6,5 million euro);
- Expert for ‘Interethnic Coexistence in European Cities: A comparative and applied oriented analysis of neighbourhood-related policies’ (ICEC), project of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Urban and Regional Research (ISR) in the ‘Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe’ (2013-2016);
- Expert for the federal Yearbooks ‘Poverty in Belgium’ (2012 - 2015);
- Vice-president of the ‘Belgian Platform against Energy Poverty’ (since 2013);
- Expert report (and related activities: a Future Search seminar and a Policy Brief) on ‘Labour Market Inclusion’ for the Flemish branch of the European Social Fund;
- Expert report on ‘Recent Developments in Research on Poverty and Social Exclusion’ for the Flemish Policy Centre on Poverty (2013-14);
- Keynote ‘The Urban Agenda: Poverty & Social Exclusion versus Inclusive Growth?’ in the session on ‘The Urban Dimension of Inclusive Growth’ (Chair: Commissioner László Andor) van ‘Cities of Tomorrow: Investing in Europe’ (18.02.2014, Brussels, European Commission).
His ‘national’ projects, while a member of the university, cover a broad range of topics related with poverty, exclusion, and urban studies. Some illustrations: ‘Bridges over troubled water. Social mobility and intergenerational poverty: a qualitative approach’ (2001-2003), ‘Limits and Opportunities of the Poor as Actors in Belgian Poverty Policies’ (2003-2005), ‘The representation of the Poor in the Belgian Press’ (2005-2007), ‘Poverty and Technology’ (2005-2007), ‘Poverty in the migrant population’ (2006-2007), ‘Towards a Flemish Poverty Barometer’ (2008-), ‘The impact of neighbourhood characteristics on the provision of central social services at the local level’ (2008 -2009), ‘Sustainable activation of public assistance clients’ (2008-2009), ‘Poverty and Energy’ (2010-ongoing). From its beginning (1992) until 2011 (20th edition) he was the main editor of the (Flemish) Yearbook on Poverty and Social Exclusion. Later, he supported the federal ‘Yearbook on Poverty’ (in Dutch and French) of which the sixth edition is due to appear in March 2016.
At he international level, he coordinated three successive projects of the ‘Preparatory Actions’ for ‘Poverty 4’ of the European Commission: ‘A Model to Evaluate Actions and Policies on Social Exclusion’ (1999), ‘Policy-relevant databases on Poverty and Social Exclusion’ (2000) and ‘Non-monetary Indicators of Social Exclusion and Social Inclusion’ (2001), a FP5-project on ‘Urban Development Programmes, Urban Governance, Social Inclusion and Sustainability’ (UGIS, 2000-2003, ten teams) and a FP7-project on ‘The Role of FBOs in the field of social exclusion in an urban context’ (FACIT, 2008-2010, eight teams). He participated in several other European projects (such as URBEX, FP4) and was the Belgian representative in the Management Committees of COST A9 (Civitas) and A26 (City Regions). He acted as the independent expert in five peer reviews: ‘Rough Sleeping Strategy’ (UK, 2004), ‘City Strategy’ (UK, 2009), ‘Local Plans for Social Inclusion in Catalonia’ (Spain, 2011), ‘Reference Budgets’ (Belgium, 2011), and 'Social Community Teams against Poverty' (Netherlands, 2012).
Besides his academic engagements, he chaired the Steering Committee on Labour Market Policies of the Flemish Government from 1994 to 2012 and is the chair of the Board of WEB (Work Experience Enterprises - a social economy consortium) since 1992. Between 2004 and 2010, he sat on the jury for ‘Intercity Renewal’ projects. From 2002 to 2005 he coordinated the Policy Research Centre on Equal Opportunities. He was co-promotor of the Policy Research Centre on Space and Housing (2007-2011) and participates, as an independent expert, in the Policy Research Centre on Poverty (2012-2016). He also participated in several initiatives to evaluate and/or monitor studies and projects on inner-city renovation.
He was/is keynote speaker or chairperson at many international conferences and was/is invited to many expert seminars related to his research fields.
In 2005, he received the prestigious national Franqui Chair from the Université Catholique de Louvain.
See www.oases.be for a complete list of publications (also those in Dutch), research projects, and important functions in international meetings.
Selected publications:
PANNECOUCKE, I., LAHAYE, W., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (eds) (2016). Armoede in België. Jaarboek 2016. Gent: Academia Press.
PANNECOUCKE, I., LAHAYE, W., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (éds) (2016). Pauvreté en Belgique. Annuaire 2016. Gent: Academia Press.
VAN ROSSEM, R., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & LAHAYE, W. (2016). Besluit. De ingebeelde zieke. In: PANNECOUCKE, I. e.a. (eds). Armoede in België. Jaarboek 2016. Gent: Academia Press: p.337-346.
VAN ROSSEM, R., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & LAHAYE, W. (2016). Conclusion. Le malade imaginaire. In: PANNECOUCKE, I. et al. (eds). Pauvreté en Belgique. Annuaire 2016. Gent: Academia Press, p.341-352.
VRANKEN, J. (2016). Discussion Paper: Social Community Teams against poverty in the Netherlands. http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=89&langId=en&newsId=2334&furtherNews=yes
LAHAYE, W., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (eds) (2015). Armoede in België. Jaarboek 2015. Gent: Academia Press.
LAHAYE, W., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R.(éds) (2015). Pauvreté en Belgique. Annuaire 2015. Gent: Academia Press.
VRANKEN, J. & GEERTS, A. (2015). Armoedebeleid in de nieuwe regeerakkoorden en beleidsbrieven. In : LAHAYE, W., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (eds). Armoede in België. Jaarboek 2015. Gent : Academia Press, p. 143-164.
VRANKEN, J., GEERTS, A. & POURTOIS, M. (2015). Een terugblik op het armoedebeleid van de voorbije regeringen. In: LAHAYE, W., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (eds). Armoede in België. Jaarboek 2015. Gent: Academia Press, p. 165-190.
POURTOIS, M., LAHAYE, W., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (2015). Het is vijf over twaalf. Een nieuw België op een kruispunt in de strijd tegen armoede. In: LAHAYE, W., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (eds). Armoede in België. Jaarboek 2015. Gent : Academia Press, p. 359-366.
PANNECOUCKE, I., LAHAYE, W., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (eds) (2014). Armoede in België. Jaarboek 2014. Gent: Academia Press.
PANNECOUCKE, I., LAHAYE, W., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (éds) (2014). Pauvreté en Belgique. Annuaire 2014. Gent: Academia Press.
VRANKEN, J. (2014), Theoretische raamwerken voor de studie van armoede en hun ontwikkelingen. (VLAS-Studies, 14). Antwerpen, Universiteit Antwerpen (VLAS). 44p.
VRANKEN, J. (2014). Thatcher aan de Schelde? Antwerpen, EPO, 227p. (A critical analysis of recent social and urban policies in the city of Antwerp).
VRANKEN, J., VAN HOOTEGEM, G. & HENDERICKX, E. (2013). Het Speelveld, de Spelregels en de Spelers? Handboek Sociologie. Leuven/Voorburg, Acco, 497p (Fifth edition of a sociological handbook).
DIERCKX, D., VRANKEN J. & ELANDER I. (2012). Changing policies: how faith-based organisations participate in poverty policy. In: BEAUMONT, J. et al. (eds), Faith-based organizations and exclusion in European cities. Oxford, Policy Press, p. 155-172.
PANNECOUCKE, I., LAHAYE, W., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (eds) (2014). Pauvreté en Belgique. Annuaire 2014. Gent: Academia Press. (also in Dutch)
LAHAYE, W., PANNECOUCKE, I., VRANKEN, J. & VAN ROSSEM, R. (eds) (2013). Pauvreté en Belgique. Annuaire 2013. Leuven: Acco. (also in Dutch)
VRANKEN, J., LAHAYE, W., et al. (eds) (2012). Pauvreté en Belgique. Annuaire 2013. Leuven : Acco. (also in Dutch)
DIERCKX D., VRANKEN J., COENE J. & VAN HAARLEM A., eds (2011). Armoede en sociale uitsluiting: jaarboek 2011. Leuven: Acco.
TASAN-KOK, T. & VRANKEN, J. (2011). Handbook for Multilevel Urban Governance in Europe. Analysing Participatory Instruments for an Integrated Urban Development. The Hague: European Urban Knowledge Network. http://www.mi-is.be/sites/default/files/doc/handbookmultilevel_urban_governance.pdf
HUYBRECHS F., MEYER S. & VRANKEN J. (2011). La précarité énergétique en Belgique. Antwerpen: OASeS http://dev.ulb.ac.be/ceese/CEESE/fr/projet.php?menu=1&categorie=3&projet=124
VRANKEN, J. (2010). Utiliser les Budgets de Référence pour déterminer les spécifications du régime de revenu minimum et pour évaluer son adéquation. Rapport de Synthèse. (Examen par les Pairs en matière de Protection Sociale et d’Inclusion Sociale 2010). Bruxelles: Commission européenne. + versions en anglais et en néerlandais
DIERCKX D., VAN HERCK N. &VRANKEN J., eds (2010). Poverty in Belgium. Leuven/Den Haag: Acco. Also in French (La pauvreté en Belgique) and Dutch (Armoede in België)
ERAYDIN A., TASAN-KOK T. & VRANKEN J. (2010). Diversity matters: immigrant entrepreneurship and contribution of different forms of social integration in economic performance of cities. In: European Planning Studies, 18:4, p. 521-543
VANDENHOLE W., VRANKEN J. & DE BOYSER K. eds (2010). Why Care? Children's rights and child poverty. Antwerpen: Intersentia.
VRANKEN, J. (2010). Programme en faveur des Plans Locaux d’Inclusion Sociale en Catalogne. Rapport de Synthèse. (Examen par les Pairs en matière de Protection Sociale et d’Inclusion Sociale 2010).Bruxelles: Commission européenne.
VRANKEN, J. (2008). Competitiveness and cohesion: a Janus head? Some conceptual clarifications. In: Ache, P., e.a. [edit.], Cities between competitiveness and cohesion: discourse, realities and implementation, Berlin: Springer, p. 19 - 37
TASAN-KOK T. & VRANKEN J. (2008). From survival to competition? The socio-spatial evolution of Turkish immigrant entrepreneurs in Antwerp. In Ache, P., e.a. [edit.], Cities between competitiveness and cohesion: discourse, realities and implementation, Berlin: Springer, p. 155 – 168.
LEVECQUE K., I. LODEWYCKX & J. VRANKEN (2007), Depression and Generalised Anxiety In the General Population in Belgium: A Comparison between Native and Immigrant Groups. In: Journal Of Affective Disorders, 97, 1/3: 229-239
PERRIN, N., MARTINIELLO, M., VAN ROBAEYS, B. & VRANKEN, J. (2007). La pauvreté chez les personnes d'origine étrangère. Liège: Les Editions de l'Université de Liège: sociopolis.
VAN NIEUWENHUYZE, I. & J. VRANKEN (2006). Antwerp: Confronting the Social and Spatial. In MUSTERD, S. e.a. (eds), Neighbourhoods of Poverty, Palgrave.
DE DECKER, P., C. KESTELOOT, DE MAESSCHALCK, F. & J. VRANKEN (2005), Revitalising the city in an anti-urban context: extreme right and the rise of an urban policy in Flanders-Belgium. In: International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 29, 1: 152-171.
VRANKEN, J. (2005). Changing Forms of Solidarity: Urban Development Programs in Europe. In Y. KAZEPOV (ed), Cities of Europe. London: Blackwell, p. 255-276
BURGERS, J. & VRANKEN, J. (2004). How to make a successful urban development programme. Experiences from nine European countries, (UGIS Collection 3). Antwerpen/Apeldoorn: Garant (translated in Dutch, German and French)
VRANKEN, J. (2001), Unravelling the Social Strands of Poverty: Differentiation, Fragmentation, Inequality, and Exclusion. In: ANDERSEN, H.T. & VAN KEMPEN, R. (eds.), Governing European cities. Social fragmentation, social exclusion and urban governance. Ashgate, Aldershot: 71-88.
Department
Statute & functions
Emeritus
- emeritus occasional assignment