Programme details

Joe's program of research lies at the nexus of governance and the public where he investigates what trust is, how best to appropriately measure it, and its connection to "outcomes" like cooperation and compliance. Joe works closely with a variety of governance organizations including police agencies, court systems, natural resource authorities, public health departments, and a variety of other state and federal entities with the overarching goal of contributing to a cross-boundary social science of trust. Joe serves as Graduate Program Director for the MSU Environmental Science and Policy Program; Associate Editor of the Journal of Trust Research; and on the editorial boards of Psychology, Public Policy, and Law and Law and Human Behavior. Joe also leads the Teaching, Researching, and Understanding the Social Science of Trust Lab. 

Prof. Hamm's keynote address will focus on the intersection of trust and vulnerability, particularly within the context of public governance and grand societal challenges. As such, the aspect of vulnerability – and the related management of risk – particularly resonates with the challenge of societal transitions that is now a core element of the GOVTRUST Summer School’s theme.

Lecturer: Prof. Joseph (Joe) Hamm (Michigan State University)

Trust is a complex concept and its role is often contested. The goal of this session is to conceptualise trust and distrust and reflect on how the conceptualisation affects the trust measure; to clarify how the concept of trust is theoretically and empirically related to other concepts such as legitimacy, control and reputation, and; to identify the key themes within the trust literature.

Lecturer: Prof. Frédérique Six (VU Amsterdam and GOVTRUST)

In general, trust research is characterised by the use of a wide diversity of experimental, quantitative and qualitative methods. Studying trust in multi-level settings poses interesting methodological questions and often calls for innovative and interdisciplinary methodological approaches. The goal of this session is to briefly introduce participants to diverse methods relevant to the study of trust, and to delve into the methodological challenges encountered by participants in their own trust research.

Lecturers: Prof. Koen Verhoest (GOVTRUST - research group Politics & Public Governance)

Regulation is a key political-administrative process involving the promulgation of rules and the creation of dedicated bodies and mechanisms to monitor, assess and enforce these rules. Within regulatory regimes, several actors interact across different governance levels (such as regulators, political authorities, administrative bodies, judicial bodies and courts, regulatees and their interest organisations, consumer and other societal interests, as well as the media), configuring a dense web of relationships. A major societal issue is that of the role and dynamics of trust and distrust in those regulatory relationships. The goal of this session is to investigate the role of trust in the different relations within regulatory regimes, incl. the extent to which regulatory regimes require trust to function properly; the extent to which regulatory regimes enhance trust; the determinants and effects of trust within regulatory regimes. The session will build on the research from the EU H2020 TiGRE project.

Lecturer: Prof. Koen Verhoest (GOVTRUST - research group Politics & Public Governance) and Prof. Frédérique Six (VU Amsterdam and GOVTRUST)

In an era marked by political polarisation and scepticism, understanding political trust is crucial for the sustainability of democratic societies. This session delves into the intricate dynamics of political trust, exploring its foundations, manifestations, and consequences.

Lecturers: Prof. Ben Seyd (University of Kent, UK)

Federalism and multi-level governance are at the heart of contemporary politics. Nowadays, spheres of authority at different governance levels (international, European, central, regional and local) are often entangled, which is known as multi-level governance (MLG). As such, MLG is often seen as a useful approach for capturing the increasingly complex and shared nature of public decision-making in federal systems. The goal of this session is to elaborate on the importance of public trust in various levels of government for preserving system viability; and to understand the principle of mutual trust in the context of federalism and the EU.

Lecturers: Prof. Peter Bursens (GOVTRUST - research group Politics & Public Governance) and Prof. Patricia Popelier (GOVTRUST - research group Government & Law)

Digital technologies have transformed our economies and societies, prompting governments to keep pace with emerging technologies and to rapidly expand digital services. Despite the many benefits for both governments (e.g. efficiency and tailoring of services) and citizens (e.g. convenience and flexibility), the digital ecosystem also raises unique governance and accountability challenges. In addition, concerns about cybercrime, online disinformation, artificial intelligence and data privacy have significantly undermined public trust. As digital evolutions are accelerating, well-tailored governance structures are essential to (re)build the trust needed to harness the transformative potential of digital technologies for governments and citizens alike. The goal of this session is to highlight the vital role of trust in governing technology and to discuss how trust relationships are affected by the advent of new technologies.

Lecturer: Prof. Michel Walrave (GOVTRUST - Research group MIOS (Media, ICT and interpersonal relations in Organisations in Society))

Trust is said to be a necessary condition for the legitimacy and the effectiveness of the judicial system. At the same time, because of the system of checks and balances, a certain degree of ‘distrust’ is also an important condition for the performance of the judicial system. The goal of this session is to consider the concept of trust in relation to legitimacy of and public support for the judiciary; and to elaborate on the (drivers of) different trust relationships within the judicial system (i.e. trust between judicial actors) as well as citizens’ trust in judicial actors or the judicial system (interpersonal, interorganisational and system trust).

Lecturer: Prof. Esther van Zimmeren (GOVTRUST - research group Government & Law)
Guest lecturer: tbc

Paper workshop 1: peer feedback

This first paper workshop will provide participants with peer feedback on their previously submitted paper. Participants discuss their paper with other participants in small groups, partly in preparation for presenting their paper in the second paper workshop.

Lecturers: Peer-to-peer within the participant group

Paper workshop 2: panel session

The second paper workshop will provide participants with guidance on the development of their previously submitted paper. Participants get the opportunity to present their paper and receive individual feedback from a panel of lecturers. The focus is on providing participants with practical and constructive feedback.

Lecturers: Panel of discussants dependent on topics covered in papers submitted

Participants will be able to get in touch with peers attending other summer schools at Antwerp Summer and Winter University.

The GOVTRUST Summer School hosts a networking dinner for its participants on Tuesday 20 August 2024.

Find out more about the social activities planned in the days around and during the GOVTRUST Summer School here.