---
title: "About the Authors"
url: "https://ebooks.socialeurope.eu/2/eu-forward/27/about-the-authors"
---

**Dominic Afscharian** holds degrees in political science and economics from Heidelberg University and the University of Tübingen. He has worked with think tanks, consultancies and academic institutions and is currently a research officer at the Zentrum für neue Sozialpolitik in Berlin.

**Karl Aiginger** is Director of the Policy Crossover Center: Vienna – Europe. He is also Professor at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and Honorary Professor at the University of Linz. He is founding editor-in-chief of the Journalof Industry, Competition and Trade (JICT). He was Director of the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) from 2005 until 2016.

**Azizjon Bagadirov** is a political theorist working at the European University Institute in Florence. His research focuses on theories of social justice and well-being.

**Mark Blyth** is The William R. Rhodes ’57 Professor of International Economics and Professor of International and Public Affairs at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, Brown University.

**Anton Hemerijck** is Professor of political science and sociology at the European University Institute in Florence. He researches and publishes on social policy, social investment and the welfare state and is a frequent adviser to the European Commission.

**Paul De Grauwe** is Professor of economics and holds the John Paulson chair in European Political Economy at the European Institute of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

**Brigid Laffan** is Emeritus Professor at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute (EUI). She joined the EUI in 2013 and retired from the role in August 2021. She was previously Professor of European Politics at University College Dublin. She also serves as President of the European Policy Centre (EPC) and Chancellor of the University of Limerick and chair of its governing body.

**Henning Meyer** is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Social Europe, Honorary Professor of Public Policy and Business at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, and Research Associate at the Centre for Business Research at Cambridge University.

**Almut Möller** is Director for European and Global Affairs and head of the Europe in the World programme.

**Jo Ritzen** is Professor at UNU-MERIT and the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance. He was previously Dutch Minister of Education and Science, Vice-President of the World Bank for research and human development and President of Maastricht University.

**Luc Soete**, Emeritus Professor at Maastricht University and member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences, holds an economics degree from Ghent University and a PhD from the University of Sussex. He founded the Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT) in 1988 and directed it until 2012. He later served as Rector Magnificus of Maastricht University (2012–2016) and Dean of the Brussels School of Governance (2019–2023).

**Catherine de Vries** holds the Generali Endowed Chair in European Policies and is a Professor of Political Science at Bocconi University. She also serves as President of the Institute of European Policy Making at Bocconi University and is co-chair Bocconi’s International Advisory Council.

**Robin Wilson** is an expert adviser to the Council of Europe on intercultural integration. He is the author of Meeting the Challenge of Cultural Diversity in Europe: Moving Beyond the Crisis (Edward Elgar).

**Job Zomerplaag** is programme editor and PhD researcher at Studio Europa Maastricht, a centre of expertise for Europe-related debate and research at Maastricht University, and UNU-MERIT.