What can we do for you
The expertise center for Group Dynamics in Society can connect academic scholars, students, and societal partners in the following areas:
Research
In cooperation with various academic and societal partners, we generate expertise in the field of group dynamics and societal challenges by conducting fundamental and applied research. For example: are you interested in the effectiveness of your intervention for engaging citizens through public participation panels? Would you like to improve constructive dialogue in your (online) discussion platform, or enhance the impact of bottom-up initiatives for sustainability on the broader population? We can support organizations by conducting and supervising research within their organization. We can support scholars and students by connecting them to organizations, projects, and researchers with similar interests. Collaboration can be achieved in various ways, such as in the context of Masters thesis projects, through PhD or postdoctoral research, or by securing research grants. The knowledge gained is shared through reports, national and international publications, conferences, workshops, and our website.
Teaching
In our teaching we connect societal challenges to dynamical processes through challenge-based learning (with practice partners, e.g., the Summer School) and through theoretical and methodological courses for students.
Summer school on Polarization
In 2024, The University of Groningen hosted the first summer school “Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Polarization”, which was organized by members of the expertise center in collaboration with scholars from Stellenbosch University in South Africa. During this summer school, scholars from different disciplines (sociology, psychology, pedagogics, philosophy, linguistics, media studies) teach in relation to a challenge introduced by a societal partner (for more information, see: https://www.rug.nl/education/summer-winter-schools/polarisation/?lang=en ). The next edition of this transdisciplinary academic summer school will be organized in June-July 2025 in Stellenbosch.
Courses
Beyond this, the researchers within the center teach courses related to the study of group dynamics in various educational programs. Relevant courses are:
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Group Dynamics (3rd year bachelor psychology)
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Cooperation and communication (Master Applied Social Psychology)
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Computer-Mediated Communication (Master Communication and Information Studies)
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Living Lab: Communication for Change (Master Communication and Information Studies)
Symposia
We organize a yearly symposium on a theme related to group dynamics in society. The first symposium, which also entails the launch of our expertise center for Group Dynamics in Society, is organized on September 22nd, 2025, 14h-16h in the Orangerie.
Advice
Do you have questions regarding evaluation or monitoring of new group-based interventions to tackle societal challenges and/or the organization of (online) platforms for communication? Feel free to contact us without any obligations. We can offer advice and connect you to our network and our partners.
Network
We promote the bundling of knowledge on group dynamics and societal challenges by bringing together initiatives and projects of research institutes and professional or governmental organisations. Our goal is to connect people and projects involved in group dynamics. We have a large national and international network and are steadily expanding it.
| Last modified: | 24 June 2025 1.36 p.m. |