Bart Vanhercke

Bart Vanhercke, Master of Science in Sociology, is policy analyst at the Observatoire social européen while writing a PhD at the University of Amsterdam (Amsterdam School of Social Science Research - ASSR) on "The hard politics of soft policy coordination". His current research and publications focus on the Europeanization of domestic social inclusion, healthcare and pensions policies through different EU policy instruments (law, soft governance and financial instruments), topics on which he also works as associate academic staff at the Centre for Sociological Research (CESO), the University of Leuven. Earlier research experience dealt with the social challenges of EMU and EU enlargement, and the role of local administrations with regard to rendering health care accessible for welfare beneficiairies. 

Bart Vanhercke previously worked as European advisor to the Belgian Minister for Social Affairs (1999-2004), and in this function coordinated the "Social Affairs" Task Force of the Belgian Presidency of the EU (2001). He was an assistant in the European Parliament (2004-2006), which included p roviding political advice on internal market directives (such as machinery, professional qualifications, motor vehicle insurance). Bart Vanhercke started his career as research assistant at the Center for Sociology of Health (Centre de sociologie de la Santé) of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).

Publications