F. (Femke) Hoekstra, MSc

My PhD project is focused on various forms of contentious politics in the Netherlands at the intersection of the climate and democracy crises. I aim to explore specific practices and impacts of the political forms, specifically with regards to its impact on liberal democratic values and on efforts to achieve sustainability transitions. The research includes analyses of (visual) media and current discourse on sustainability policy.

The first study is on guerrilla gardening and more specifically flower seed bombing in the Netherlands, which presents a case of progressive and “everyday” environmental action. Through an analysis of visuals of the practice on social media, the study explores seed bombing with a focus on the biomaterial in relation to its political aims.

Further research will center around forms of protest surrounding sustainability policies, an application of a just transition lens, and policy labs in which deliberative democracy designs are explored.

The research is part of Trans4Demo, a European project which seeks to understand and respond to the challenges of populism for just sustainability transitions policy and liberal democratic values in Europe.