The selection committee considered six excellent contestants. All six theses were strong pieces of research, with a good fit with the EPS focus and objectives, sound methodology and original contribution to our understanding of European politics and society. The committee made sure its decision was not affected by the slightly different standards for theses at partner universities, particularly regarding word count.
The winner of the 2024 EPS Best Thesis Award is:
Jeroen Spieker
with a thesis titled
As Strict as Possible: Centre-Right Parties’ Approach to Immigration in the Netherlands, France
and Belgium
Jeroen Spieker’s research focuses on a very topical issue of how centre-right parties in selected European countries discuss and approach immigration and what differences can be seen between their ministers in governments and representatives in the parliaments. The thesis advances the relevant literature on party politics and migration politics in contemporary Europe. It offers an original empirical analysis of extensive data collected by the author. The committee commends the thesis for its sophisticated research design, excellent use of the theoretical framework, identification of a research question, and a great fit with the European Politics and Society programme.