Joost Berkhout is associate professor in political science specialized in research on interest organizations (research interests: mobilization, political organization, organizational ecology of interest representation, lobbying, public action, networks).
Joost Berkhout works on the project 'Agendas and Interest Groups' (NWO-ORA, 2016-2019) for further details see PDF poster and the project website.
He is member of the Steering Committee of the ECPR Standing Group on Interest Groups.
His research was previously focussed on the project ‘Why interests organize on only some issues: Assessing the density and diversity of interest organizations in Western Europe’ (NWO-Veni, 2013-2017). This project is motivated by the puzzle that in some policy domains, such as education, development and health care, a large number and variety of organizations is politically active whereas in other domains, such as defense, banking and housing, there are only a small number of organizations active representing a relatively narrow range of interests. To date, these differences have not been systematically assessed. The research project fills this gap in the literature by describing and explaining the variation in the number (density) and character (diversity) of interest organizations in twenty policy domains in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the Netherlands.
This research builds upon Joost Berkhout’s doctoral research. In his PhD-dissertation Political Activities of Interest Organizations defended in 2010 in Leiden, he examined why interest organizations do what they do. In that, he points to the relationship between the population of interest organizations and the strategies that organizations pursue to influence policies. An important part of this research deals with EU-level interest representation.
Between 2009 and 2012, Joost Berkhout has been a post-doctoral researcher in the EU-funded project 'Support and Opposition to Migration' (SOM). The key research question in this study is: Why has immigration become an important political issue in some European countries but far less so (or later, of differently) in other countries? At the University of Amsterdam this project is coordinated by Wouter van der Brug and other project members include Laura Sudulich.
Joost Berkhout is a member of the programme-group 'Challenges to Democratic Representation' of the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR).
Joost Berkhout earned his PhD-degree at Leiden University in 2010. He has been a visiting researcher at the European University Institute in 2008. Earlier, he obtained masters and bachelors degrees in International Relations and Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam.
Joost Berkhout is program director of the MA program in Political Science.
In the academic year 2023-24, Joost Berkhout teaches a graduate-level elective course titled 'Collective Action and Interest Group Politics', a BA elective course on 'Protest Politics' and a BA Thesis seminar on 'Agenda-setting in comparative perspective' . See course manuals below and descriptions of these courses in the online course catalogue.
Previous teaching includes courses on comparative politics, interest representation, political behavior, politicization of migration and MA-thesis project.
 Berkhout, J. (2024). Lobbying communities as organizational systems: theories and counts of politically active organizations. In D. Coen, & A. Katsaitis (Eds.), Handbook on Lobbying and Public Policy (pp. 39-51). (Handbooks of Research on Public Policy). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800884717.00010 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2024). Lobbying communities as organizational systems: theories and counts of politically active organizations. In D. Coen, & A. Katsaitis (Eds.), Handbook on Lobbying and Public Policy (pp. 39-51). (Handbooks of Research on Public Policy). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800884717.00010 [details] Junk, W. M., Berkhout, J., Crepaz, M., & Hanegraaff, M. (2024). Advocacy intelligence and competition: Assessing lobbyists' sharing of tactical knowledge in focus group interviews. Governance: an international journal of policy, administration and institutions, 37(2), 355-373. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12767 [details]
Junk, W. M., Berkhout, J., Crepaz, M., & Hanegraaff, M. (2024). Advocacy intelligence and competition: Assessing lobbyists' sharing of tactical knowledge in focus group interviews. Governance: an international journal of policy, administration and institutions, 37(2), 355-373. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12767 [details] Junk, W. M., Crepaz, M., Aizenberg, E., Berkhout, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2024). Understanding lobbying dynamics through survey research: An introduction to the InterCov dataset. European Union Politics, 25(4), 816-831. https://doi.org/10.1177/14651165241274046 [details]
Junk, W. M., Crepaz, M., Aizenberg, E., Berkhout, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2024). Understanding lobbying dynamics through survey research: An introduction to the InterCov dataset. European Union Politics, 25(4), 816-831. https://doi.org/10.1177/14651165241274046 [details] Van der Brug, W., & Berkhout, J. (2024). Patterns of politicization following triggering events: the indirect effect of issue-owning challengers. Frontiers in Political Science, 6, Article 1314217. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2024.1314217 [details]
Van der Brug, W., & Berkhout, J. (2024). Patterns of politicization following triggering events: the indirect effect of issue-owning challengers. Frontiers in Political Science, 6, Article 1314217. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2024.1314217 [details] Berkhout, J., Beyers, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2023). The Representative Potential of Interest Groups: Internal Voice in Post‐Communist and Western European Countries. Politics and Governance, 11(1), 50-64. https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v11i1.5899 [details]
Berkhout, J., Beyers, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2023). The Representative Potential of Interest Groups: Internal Voice in Post‐Communist and Western European Countries. Politics and Governance, 11(1), 50-64. https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v11i1.5899 [details] Berkhout, J., Crepaz, M., Hanegraaff, M., & Junk, W. M. (2023). Online Focus Groups as a Tool to Study Policy Professionals. Research & Politics, 10(4), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/20531680231211398 [details]
Berkhout, J., Crepaz, M., Hanegraaff, M., & Junk, W. M. (2023). Online Focus Groups as a Tool to Study Policy Professionals. Research & Politics, 10(4), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/20531680231211398 [details] Berkhout, J., Hanegraaff, M., & Maloney, W. A. (2023). Looking for ‘Voice’ in Business and Citizen Groups: Who’s Being Heard? Political Studies, 71(3), 545-572. https://doi.org/10.1177/00323217211019318 [details]
Berkhout, J., Hanegraaff, M., & Maloney, W. A. (2023). Looking for ‘Voice’ in Business and Citizen Groups: Who’s Being Heard? Political Studies, 71(3), 545-572. https://doi.org/10.1177/00323217211019318 [details] Hanegraaff, M., & Berkhout, J. (2023). Interest groups. In S. Faure, & C. Lequesne (Eds.), The Elgar Companion to the European Union (pp. 171-181). (Elgar Companions to International Organisations). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800883437.00023 [details]
Hanegraaff, M., & Berkhout, J. (2023). Interest groups. In S. Faure, & C. Lequesne (Eds.), The Elgar Companion to the European Union (pp. 171-181). (Elgar Companions to International Organisations). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800883437.00023 [details] Berkhout, J. (2022). Comparative Interest Group Research. In P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (pp. 177-182). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44556-0_137, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_137-1 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2022). Comparative Interest Group Research. In P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (pp. 177-182). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44556-0_137, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_137-1 [details] Crepaz, M., Junk, W. M., Hanegraaff, M., & Berkhout, J. (2022). Viral Lobbying: Strategies, Access and Influence During the COVID-19 Pandemic. (Viral Politics; Vol. 3). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110783148 [details]
Crepaz, M., Junk, W. M., Hanegraaff, M., & Berkhout, J. (2022). Viral Lobbying: Strategies, Access and Influence During the COVID-19 Pandemic. (Viral Politics; Vol. 3). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110783148 [details] Hanegraaff, M., Berkhout, J., & van der Ploeg, J. (2022). Exploring the proportionality of representation in interest group mobilization and political access: the case of the Netherlands. Acta Politica, 57(1), 254-276. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41269-020-00185-1 [details]
Hanegraaff, M., Berkhout, J., & van der Ploeg, J. (2022). Exploring the proportionality of representation in interest group mobilization and political access: the case of the Netherlands. Acta Politica, 57(1), 254-276. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41269-020-00185-1 [details] Junk, W. M., Crepaz, M., Hanegraaff, M., Berkhout, J., & Aizenberg, E. (2022). Changes in interest group access in times of crisis: no pain, no (lobby) gain. Journal of European Public Policy, 29(9), 1374-1394. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2021.1968936 [details]
Junk, W. M., Crepaz, M., Hanegraaff, M., Berkhout, J., & Aizenberg, E. (2022). Changes in interest group access in times of crisis: no pain, no (lobby) gain. Journal of European Public Policy, 29(9), 1374-1394. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2021.1968936 [details] Berkhout, J. (2021). Comparative Interest Group Research. In P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (Living ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_137-1, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44556-0_137 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2021). Comparative Interest Group Research. In P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (Living ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_137-1, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44556-0_137 [details] Berkhout, J., Hanegraaff, M., & Statsch, P. (2021). Explaining the patterns of contacts between interest groups and political parties: Revising the standard model for populist times. Party Politics, 27(3), 418–429. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068819856608 [details]
Berkhout, J., Hanegraaff, M., & Statsch, P. (2021). Explaining the patterns of contacts between interest groups and political parties: Revising the standard model for populist times. Party Politics, 27(3), 418–429. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068819856608 [details] van de Wardt, M., Berkhout, D., & Vermeulen, F. (2021). Survival of the fittest. Comparing entry and exit among niche and mainstream parties in advanced democracies, 1945–2011. Electoral Studies, 69, Article 102261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2020.102261 [details]
van de Wardt, M., Berkhout, D., & Vermeulen, F. (2021). Survival of the fittest. Comparing entry and exit among niche and mainstream parties in advanced democracies, 1945–2011. Electoral Studies, 69, Article 102261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2020.102261 [details] Berkhout, J., Hanegraaff, M., & Statsch, P. (2020). Interest Groups in Multi-Level Contexts: European Integration as Cross-Cutting Issue in Party-Interest Group Contacts. Politics and Governance, 8(1), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v8i1.2516 [details]
Berkhout, J., Hanegraaff, M., & Statsch, P. (2020). Interest Groups in Multi-Level Contexts: European Integration as Cross-Cutting Issue in Party-Interest Group Contacts. Politics and Governance, 8(1), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v8i1.2516 [details] Hanegraaff, M., van der Ploeg, J., & Berkhout, J. (2020). Standing in a crowded room: Exploring the relation between interest group system density and access to policymakers. Political Research Quarterly, 73(1), 51-64. https://doi.org/10.1177/1065912919865938 [details]
Hanegraaff, M., van der Ploeg, J., & Berkhout, J. (2020). Standing in a crowded room: Exploring the relation between interest group system density and access to policymakers. Political Research Quarterly, 73(1), 51-64. https://doi.org/10.1177/1065912919865938 [details] Statsch, P., & Berkhout, J. (2020). Lobbying and policy conflict: explaining interest groups’ promiscuous relationships to political parties. Interest Groups & Advocacy, 9(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41309-019-00072-x [details]
Statsch, P., & Berkhout, J. (2020). Lobbying and policy conflict: explaining interest groups’ promiscuous relationships to political parties. Interest Groups & Advocacy, 9(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41309-019-00072-x [details] Berkhout, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2019). No borders, no bias? Comparing advocacy group populations at the national and transnational levels. Interest Groups & Advocacy, 8(3), 270-290. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41309-019-00060-1 [details]
Berkhout, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2019). No borders, no bias? Comparing advocacy group populations at the national and transnational levels. Interest Groups & Advocacy, 8(3), 270-290. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41309-019-00060-1 [details] De Bruycker, I., Berkhout, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2019). The paradox of collective action: Linking interest aggregation and interest articulation in EU legislative lobbying. Governance, 32(2), 295-312. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12373 [details]
De Bruycker, I., Berkhout, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2019). The paradox of collective action: Linking interest aggregation and interest articulation in EU legislative lobbying. Governance, 32(2), 295-312. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12373 [details] Hanegraaff, M., & Berkhout, J. (2019). More business as usual? Explaining business bias across issues and institutions in the European Union. Journal of European Public Policy, 26(6), 843-862. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2018.1492006 [details]
Hanegraaff, M., & Berkhout, J. (2019). More business as usual? Explaining business bias across issues and institutions in the European Union. Journal of European Public Policy, 26(6), 843-862. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2018.1492006 [details] Berkhout, J., Beyers, J., Braun, C., Hanegraaff, M., & Lowery, D. (2018). Making Inference across Mobilization and Influence Research: Comparing Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mapping of Interest Systems. Political Studies, 66(1), 43-62. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032321717702400 [details]
Berkhout, J., Beyers, J., Braun, C., Hanegraaff, M., & Lowery, D. (2018). Making Inference across Mobilization and Influence Research: Comparing Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mapping of Interest Systems. Political Studies, 66(1), 43-62. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032321717702400 [details] Berkhout, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2017). Interest Groups and Social Movements. In P. van Praag (Ed.), Political Science and Changing Politics (pp. 179-200). Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1zqrmq0.12 [details]
Berkhout, J., & Hanegraaff, M. (2017). Interest Groups and Social Movements. In P. van Praag (Ed.), Political Science and Changing Politics (pp. 179-200). Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1zqrmq0.12 [details] Berkhout, J., & Ruedin, D. (2017). Why religion? Immigrant groups as objects of political claims on immigration and civic integration in Western Europe, 1995–2009. Acta Politica, 52(2), 156-178. https://doi.org/10.1057/ap.2016.1 [details]
Berkhout, J., & Ruedin, D. (2017). Why religion? Immigrant groups as objects of political claims on immigration and civic integration in Western Europe, 1995–2009. Acta Politica, 52(2), 156-178. https://doi.org/10.1057/ap.2016.1 [details] Berkhout, J., Hanegraaff, M., & Braun, C. (2017). Is the EU different? Comparing the diversity of national and EU-level systems of interest organisations. West European Politics, 40(5), 1109-1131. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2017.1308695 [details]
Berkhout, J., Hanegraaff, M., & Braun, C. (2017). Is the EU different? Comparing the diversity of national and EU-level systems of interest organisations. West European Politics, 40(5), 1109-1131. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2017.1308695 [details] van de Wardt, M., Berkhout, J., & Vermeulen, F. (2017). Ecologies of Ideologies: Explaining Party Entry and Exit in West-European Parliaments, 1945-2013. European Union Politics, 18(2), 239-259. https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116516670266 [details]
van de Wardt, M., Berkhout, J., & Vermeulen, F. (2017). Ecologies of Ideologies: Explaining Party Entry and Exit in West-European Parliaments, 1945-2013. European Union Politics, 18(2), 239-259. https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116516670266 [details] Berkhout, J., Carroll, B. J., Braun, C., Chalmers, A. W., Destrooper, T., Lowery, D., Otjes, S., & Rasmussen, A. (2015). Interest organizations across economic sectors: explaining interest group density in the European Union. Journal of European Public Policy, 22(4), 462-480. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2015.1008549 [details]
Berkhout, J., Carroll, B. J., Braun, C., Chalmers, A. W., Destrooper, T., Lowery, D., Otjes, S., & Rasmussen, A. (2015). Interest organizations across economic sectors: explaining interest group density in the European Union. Journal of European Public Policy, 22(4), 462-480. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2015.1008549 [details] Lowery, D., Baumgartner, F. R., Berkhout, J., Berry, J. M., Halpin, D., Hojnacki, M., Klüver, H., Kohler-Koch, B., Richardson, J., & Schlozman, K. L. (2015). Images of an unbiased interest system. Journal of European Public Policy, 22(8), 1212-1231. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2015.1049197 [details]
Lowery, D., Baumgartner, F. R., Berkhout, J., Berry, J. M., Halpin, D., Hojnacki, M., Klüver, H., Kohler-Koch, B., Richardson, J., & Schlozman, K. L. (2015). Images of an unbiased interest system. Journal of European Public Policy, 22(8), 1212-1231. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2015.1049197 [details] van der Brug, W., & Berkhout, J. (2015). The effect of associative issue ownership on parties’ presence in the news media. West European Politics, 38(4), 869-887. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2015.1039379 [details]
van der Brug, W., & Berkhout, J. (2015). The effect of associative issue ownership on parties’ presence in the news media. West European Politics, 38(4), 869-887. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2015.1039379 [details] Berkhout, J. (2013). Why interest organizations do what they do: assessing the explanatory potential of ‘exchange’ approaches. Interest Groups & Advocacy, 2(2), 227-250. https://doi.org/10.1057/iga.2013.6 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2013). Why interest organizations do what they do: assessing the explanatory potential of ‘exchange’ approaches. Interest Groups & Advocacy, 2(2), 227-250. https://doi.org/10.1057/iga.2013.6 [details] Berkhout, J. (2020). Group Populations. In P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (Living ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_42-1 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2020). Group Populations. In P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (Living ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_42-1 [details] Berkhout, J. (2020). Population Ecology of Interest Representation. In P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (Living ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_51-1 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2020). Population Ecology of Interest Representation. In P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (Living ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_51-1 [details] Berkhout, D. J., Hanegraaff, M. C., & Heemskerk, E. M. (2018, Dec 20). Dataset Pyttersen’s Almanak: Dataset Pyttersen’s Nederlandse Almanak (Sectie: Verenigingen en Stichtingen) (1997-2008, 1956, 1971, 1985 en 1992-1993) . Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS). https://doi.org/10.17026/dans-z73-s9k7
Berkhout, D. J., Hanegraaff, M. C., & Heemskerk, E. M. (2018, Dec 20). Dataset Pyttersen’s Almanak: Dataset Pyttersen’s Nederlandse Almanak (Sectie: Verenigingen en Stichtingen) (1997-2008, 1956, 1971, 1985 en 1992-1993) . Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS). https://doi.org/10.17026/dans-z73-s9k7 Berkhout, J. (2017). Lobby in daglicht: een eerlijker politiek speelveld? B en M : Tijdschrift voor Beleid, Politiek en Maatschappij, 44(1), 85-87. https://doi.org/10.5553/BenM/138900692017044001013 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2017). Lobby in daglicht: een eerlijker politiek speelveld? B en M : Tijdschrift voor Beleid, Politiek en Maatschappij, 44(1), 85-87. https://doi.org/10.5553/BenM/138900692017044001013 [details] Berkhout, J. (2015). Change and continuity in the composition of the lobby community in the European Union: lobby explosion and lobby tourism? In P. A. Shotton, & P. G. Nixon (Eds.), Lobbying the European Union: changing minds, changing times (pp. 17-32). Ashgate. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003075097 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2015). Change and continuity in the composition of the lobby community in the European Union: lobby explosion and lobby tourism? In P. A. Shotton, & P. G. Nixon (Eds.), Lobbying the European Union: changing minds, changing times (pp. 17-32). Ashgate. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003075097 [details] Berkhout, J. (2015). Interest organization demography research in Europe. In D. Lowery, D. Halpin, & V. Gray (Eds.), The organization ecology of interest communities: assessment and agenda (pp. 37-60). (Interest groups, advocacy and democracy series). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137514318_3 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2015). Interest organization demography research in Europe. In D. Lowery, D. Halpin, & V. Gray (Eds.), The organization ecology of interest communities: assessment and agenda (pp. 37-60). (Interest groups, advocacy and democracy series). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137514318_3 [details] Berkhout, J. (2014). Comparing populations of interest organizations: Skating on thin ice? In ECPR joint sessions of workshops 2014: Salamanca European Consortium for Political Research. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2431609 [details]
Berkhout, J. (2014). Comparing populations of interest organizations: Skating on thin ice? In ECPR joint sessions of workshops 2014: Salamanca European Consortium for Political Research. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2431609 [details]