S.G. Grimmelikhuijsen, MSc., LLB.

Curriculum vitae

Stephan Grimmelikhuijsen (1984) studied at the Utrecht School of Governance (Utrecht University) between 2002 and 2007. In July 2005 he received a degree in Bachelor of Arts (BA). In July 2007 he got a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB), also at the Utrecht University. In 2007, Stephan graduated cum laude in the Research Master in Public Administration and Organizational Science, a cooperation between Utrecht University, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Tilburg University (degree: MSc). Stephan wrote his master thesis on the effect is of transparent government organizations on citizen trust; this was being examined using an experimental design.

Since October 2007 he is working as a PhD-student at the Utrecht School of Governance on the same topic. Transparency is widely viewed as a panacea for good governance, and for strengthening trust in government in particular. In practice, however, this relationship has not been proven convincingly and critics even argue that transparency could negatively affect citizen trust in government.

In this dissertation -under supervision of Prof. dr. mr. M.A.P. Bovens and Dr. A.J. Meijer- several types of transparency are being examined with regard to their effect on trust in government organizations. Experiments, along with online surveys are used to investigate this relationship. The dissertation is partly financed by the Ministry of the Interior; Stephan attends the ministry for one day a week.

Publications:

• Grimmelikhuijsen, S.G., (2009), Do transparent government agencies strengthen trust?, Information Polity, 14 (forthcoming).
• Meijer, A.J., Grimmelikhuijsen, S.G., Brandsma, G.J., (2009), Transparantie: Verbreedt en versterkt openbaarmaking de publieke verantwoording?, in: M.A.P. Bovens & T. Schillemans, Handboek publieke verantwoording, Den Haag: Lemma, pp. 205-226.
• Grimmelikhuijsen, S.G. & A.J. Meijer, (2006), Digitale beschikkingsverlening en individuele rechtvaardigheid: voldoen hardheidsclausules van uitvoeringsorganisaties?, in: Bestuurswetenschappen, 2006, nr. 2.

 Conference papers (selection):

• Grimmelikhuijsen, S.G., (2008), What Drives Transparency Of Municipal Governments: Push Or Pull?, paper presented at the EGPA conference of September 3^rd – 5^th, 2008 in Rotterdam.
• Grimmelikhuijsen, S.G., (2007), Transparency of Government and Political Trust, paper presented at the International Conference on Experimental Methods in Political Science of December 14, 2007 in Brussels.

 Other publications:

• Grimmelikhuijsen, S.G., (2008), Luchtkwaliteit moet transparanter, Digitaal Bestuur, online 3 oktober 2008.
• Grimmelikhuijsen, S.G., (2007), Transparantie: een wondermiddel voor vertrouwen in overheidsdiensten?, Afstudeerscriptie, USBO, Universiteit Utrecht.
• Stuive, K. & S.G. Grimmelikhuijsen, (2006), Meer blauw op straat door administratieve vereenvoudiging, in: Het Tijdschrift voor de Politie, oktober 2006, vol. 68.