The Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies (BRISPO) is an interdisciplinary research centre composed of sociologists, demographers, economists, psychologists, statisticians, and human geographers. Its members conduct research on the socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic dimensions of patterns of social inequality within Belgium, Europe, and beyond.
Recent news
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From Camp to Campus Survey: iPad Lottery Winners
Three iPads have been awarded in a prize draw among respondents of the From Camp to Campus survey. Check the winning codes to see if your code has been selected. Copyright © Noppadol by Adobe Stock
New publication: Reimagining Migrant Integration Through a Socio-spatial Lens
This hybrid critical review by Tulya Su Güven, Eva Van Belle and Veerle Buffel proposes an integrative socio-spatial framework to migrant integration, linking socio-spatial participation to belonging and well-being. Copyright © josefkubes by Adobe Stock
New article on discrimination and deservingness
David De Coninck, Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe et al. found in their new study that discrimination not only reflects failed tolerance but also moral reasoning that treats fairness as something migrants must earn. Copyright © sam richter by Adobe Stock
Prof. Tuba Bircan on how AI and digital data shape our understanding of migration
A new article led by Prof. Tuba Bircan has been published in "The Conversation", exploring how artificial intelligence and digital data are changing the way migration is studied and governed. Copyright © Jhon by Adobe Stock
New Publication: Adolescent Girls' Labor and Identity in Rural Bolivia "Being a woman is a lot of work"
Camila Jimenez-Sanchez’s new open-access article explores how labor and seasonal migration shape identity and recognition among rural Quechua adolescent girls.
IMISCOE 2026 Maria Baganha Best Thesis Award for Billie Martiniello
Former BRISPO PhD student Billie Martiniello won the Best Thesis Award with her dissertation on rental discrimination at the IMISCOE conference.
IMISCOE Annual Conference 2027 to be hosted by Vrije Universiteit Brussel!
We are happy to announce that BRISPO (Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies) and BIRMM (Brussels Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Migration & Minorities) will host the IMISCOE 24th Annual Conference in Brussels, 6-9 July 2027. Copyright © American Sociological Association
ASA Distinguished Scholarly Article Award for Bryan Boyle and Dieter Vandebroeck
Bryan and Dieter are co-winners of the American Sociological Association Labor and Labor Movements Section’s Distinguished Scholarly Article Award for their article "The Labor of Distinction: Butlers, Service Work, and the Production of Elite Lifestyles". Copyright © bernardbodo by Adobe Stock
Interview with Prof. Vanroelen and Prof. Hofmans on mental health problems at work
The interview (in English and Dutch) was conducted to mark the launch of a new project, the HELIOS-VUB Chair for Mental Well-being at Work, funded by the HELIOS Foundation. Copyright © Natallia by Adobe Stock
New FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded to Marloes Hagenaars: From Print to Pupil
We are pleased to announce that Marloes Hagenaars has been awarded an FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship for her new research project “From Print to Pupil” (2026-2029). Copyright © Fatima Silpagar
Looking back on the Photovoice Symposium “From Camp to Campus”
On 21 May, the “From Camp to Campus” symposium brought together researchers and stakeholders at HIVA in Leuven to reflect on access to higher education in Flanders.
NewVoices survey: First Round Raffle Results Announced
The winning numerical codes are listed below. If your code appears on the list, congratulations - you have won a €200 voucher. Copyright © lashkhidzetim by Adobe Stock
New comment in Knack: Long-term sick? Prevention is the best reintegration (in Dutch)
New commentary by Prof. Christophe Vanroelen (BRISPO – VUB) highlights the importance of shifting attention from reintegration to prevention in the workplace. Copyright © Claudia Jazmin Mazo Torrico
New Review paper Highlights Gaps in Participatory Research with Rural Children in Latin America
A new critical review examines how participatory research with children in rural Latin America continues to face challenges in the redistribution of power across research processes.
Top photo: Alex Wasey