PhD Defence Alex Belloir 'Between the Lines'

We are pleased to announce that Alexandre "Alex" Belloir will defend his PhD thesis on 11 December 2025 in the Auditorium of Campus Fryslân, Wirdumerdijk 34, 8911 CE Leeuwarden.

It is possible to follow the defence online via the livestream.

Programme:

• 10:00 - Walk-in

• 10:30 - Layperson’s talk

• 11:00 - PhD defence

• 12:15 - On-site reception

On the thesis

Politicians and civil servants both play essential roles in shaping public policy in a democracy. Politicians decide the direction, while civil servants offer expert, neutral advice. But what happens when civil servants start to act more politically?

This question is at the centre of this thesis. It explores how various factors, such as populist leaders or a divided political climate, can push civil servants to behave in more political ways.

Using surveys and interviews with senior officials from Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain, and a case study of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal (the Toeslagenaffaire), this study shows how officials may start including political considerations in their work instead of staying independent and neutral.

The findings reveal that politicisation doesn’t just happen through top-level appointments. It also takes place in everyday decisions, compromises, and moments of silence by the people working behind the scenes.

About Alex Belloir

Alex Belloir is a lecturer, PhD candidate, and project manager at Campus Fryslân, University of Groningen. His work lies at the intersection of public administration, criminology, and sociology, focusing on how public institutions operate within shifting political contexts.

Belloir’s research explores issues such as functional politicisation, administrative responsibility, and the relationship between politics and professional civil service. Together with colleagues such as Caspar van den Berg, he co-authored “Functionele politisering en politieke fragmentatie: Ontwikkelingen in de ambtelijke top in de periode 2007-2021,” which analyses changes in senior civil service behaviour in the Netherlands.

Beyond research, Belloir is actively involved in teaching and in projects on Responsible Governance and Technology at Campus Fryslân. His work contributes to a deeper understanding of how public organisations navigate political and societal challenges.