The influence of networks on benefit dependency

A number of new professors have recently been appointed at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Who are they, and what will they be doing here? Prof. Cok Vrooman loves not only sociology but also pictographic language.

Cok Vrooman works as professor by special appointment of Social Security and Participation. His chair is funded by the Gak Institute. Vrooman is also Work and Public Services research sector head at the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP). He held his inaugural lecture at the end of March on 'Participation in uncertainty: Expectations on participation and protection'.

What does your research concern?

'My research falls under the strategic theme of Institutions for Open Societies. The central focus is the relationship between institutions, social structure and social cohesion. In the new chair's first project, PhD candidate Marcus Kristiansen and postdoc Sanne Boschman will be looking at how social networks relate to benefit dependency. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) holds population data on benefits, how long people are dependent on them, how their work and income are developing, and so forth, but these records tell very little about the role of networks in the dynamics of social assistance benefits. The university, however, does have this information. From an international perspective, the combination of these sources is unique. That's why we're going to link them up so that we can identify the network effects. An example is, taking account of their countries of origin, are migrants more likely to end up receiving unemployment benefits or social assistance benefits? And is that due to the size and nature of their networks, or are there other causes? For policy purposes, this still is a blind spot; but if you know whether it has an influence, and how, you can consider building networks that curb benefit dependency.'

Which of your research projects had the greatest social impact?

'The periodic SCP survey on poverty and social exclusion always receives a lot of attention in public discussions, partly due to the fact that the SCP has developed its own measuring tools for this purpose. The social exclusion survey has meanwhile been adopted by other countries and was recently translated into Persian. I also worked as editor-in-chief of the 2014 Social Research Report on 'Differences in the Netherlands' (Verschil in Nederland). It is intended as a sociological supplement to the Piketty discussion. Segmentation and cohesion relate not only to money. Other factors come into play, too, such as cultural capital, networks, how healthy people are and how attractive, and so on. This report garnered considerable media coverage, it was submitted to the Dutch Council of Ministers, received an official government response and is being used to draft policy.'

Why did you become a professor?

'I decided quite soon after I graduated that I wanted to do policy-oriented research. At the SCP I became head of a group that conducted research into work and social security. I enjoyed it immensely, but after a while I was ready for some variation. I therefore took a doctorate in 2009 under the supervision of my previous work placement supervisor, educational sociologist Jaap Dronkers, who sadly passed away recently, and Wil Arts. Through my professorship I can now embed the SCP's policy-oriented research into the theoretical and methodological knowledge available at Utrecht University, and vice versa. For me, it's the ideal combination!'

What would you do if you were not a professor?

'My intrinsic motivation will always be to clarify what we stand for in society. I'd like to do that using a more craftsman-like, aesthetic approach, using graphs. I'm impressed by the 'image statistics' that philosopher, economist and sociologist Otto Neurath developed in association with Gerd Arntz. They are clear, timeless pictograms with which he made knowledge accessible to the masses. Although I could never be a book illustrator, I do have a feel for that kind of pictographic language.'

Who do you admire?

'I have a greater tendency to be amazed than to admire, but if I had choose, it would be President Roosevelt. He managed to navigate his country resolutely through an exceedingly difficult period (the Great Depression and Second World World) and succeeded in creating a certain unity despite facing intense criticism and opposition. He was also important for my field of work due to the Social Security Act and the Atlantic Charter. The USA could use a leader of his stamp right now. John Cleese is another person I admire on account of his whole body of work, ranging from the Ministry of Silly Walks to his recent interview in the Dutch TV programme College Tour.'