Hannah Oorts
Profile
I am currently doing a joint-PhD in an EUTOPIA-project, connected to both the DFUTURE research group of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick. My supervisors are professor dr. Eline Severs and professor dr. Michael Saward. I hold a master's degree in political science from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, as well an advanced master's degree in “Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies” from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
Thesis
The study of political representation has undergone different paradigmatic shifts, bringing it today firmly within the constructivist paradigm. Herein, representation is seen as an act of claim-making wherein the maker of the claim puts one forward with a subject, object, referring to a referent to an active audience. In this interaction, the representative relation takes shape. Whereas the outcomes of representation have been studied, the processes and performances that take place within are gravely understudied. This PhD therefore aims to answer the question: “How does the performance of representation – seen as an act of claim-making – influence representative relations?” In particular, the thesis focusses both on who can make claims, and how they can do so conceptually, whilst drawing on Belgian cases for illustration.
Research interests
My research interests center around the literature on political representation, performance and theatre studies, and the constructivist paradigm. Core interests are thus:
- Claim-making
- Representation
- Performance
- Constructivism
- Archives
Publications
Oorts H. (2025). Blending In and Sticking Out: Performing legitimacy claims to become (a) representative. European Journal of Cultural Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494251330526
Scholarship & Awards
Grant: EUTOPIA - Science and Innovation Fellowship (2022-2026)
Prize: ECPR Standing Group on Elites and Political Leadership - Best Paper Prize 2023
Grant: Funding for long term research stay at the University of Warwick from FWO (Flemish Research Council) (15/9/2024-15/12/2024)
Conferences
Oorts, H. (2023, September). Party Leaders’ Representation of Self(ie): The New Face of Political Leadership on Instagram [Paper presentation]. ECPR General Conference 2023, Prague, Czechia.
Oorts, H. (2024, February). Party Leaders’ Representation of Self(ie): The New Face of Political Leadership on Instagram [Paper presentation]. State of the Federation Conference 2024, Liège, Belgium.
Oorts, H. (2024, July). Positionality in the Representative Archive: Analysing Subject-Position Construction in Representative Claims [Paper presentation]. European Conference on Politics and Gender 2024, Ghent, Belgium.
Oorts, H. & Vermassen, D. (2024, August). The Making Of: The Creation of Constituencies through Implicit vs Explicit Representative Claims [Paper presentation]. European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) General Conference 2024, Dublin, Ireland.
Oorts, H. (2024, September). Performing in the Representative Archive: Analysing Subject-Position Construction in Representative Claims [Paper presentation]. American Political Science Association (APSA) General Conference 2024, Philadelphia, United States of America.
Oorts, H. & Vermassen, D. (2025, April). Unspoken but not Unclaimed: Implicit Representative Claims and their “Objects” [Paper presentation]. Political Science Association (PSA) General Conferences 2025, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Oorts, H. (2025, August). Expectation vs reality: Being a young representative in the Spotlight/Online [Paper presentation]? European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) General Conference 2025, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Media
- Arnaut, K. & Oorts, H. (2024, 21 oktober). Ranzig, ranziger, Ranst: lezers over het doorbroken cordon sanitaire. De Standaard. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241020_95893235
- Oorts, H. (2024, 2 december). Lang leve het politieke theater!. De Standaard. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241202_94950799
- Oorts, H. (2024, 3 december). Opkomen voor de opkomstplicht. De Standaard. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241203_95327381
- Oorts, H. (2024, 4 december). Laten we het beestje bij zijn naam noemen: het heet Vlaams Belang, niet “Ons Ranst” of “Ons Brecht”. De Standaard. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241204_95177611
- Oorts, H. (2024, 5 december). Waarom willen we zo graag weten wie de mens achter de politicus is?. De Standaard. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241205_95094333
- Oorts, H. (2024, 6 december). We willen geen eerlijke politici, we willen authentieke politici. De Standaard. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241206_95288075