oa Oratie: Politiek, religie en seks

Inaugural lecture: Politics, religion and sex. On the importance of a sociological perspective on inclusion, and of inclusion for sociology

Talking about politics, Islam, sexuality, migration, gender-identity and discrimination, Spierings’ inaugural lecture argues that inclusion goes beyond participation, discrimination and intergroup attitudes. To what extent society is inclusive depend also on the willingness of people to change their habits and worldview to accommodate marginalized groups. And to understand how inclusion and exclusion come about, Spierings argues for an intersectional perspective (providing statistical examples), draws attention to how marginalization might lead to empathy, and the larger economic and political process shaping people willingness to change. In his closing, he pleas for a perspective of marginalization and more inclusive (i.e. better) science.