Blom, C

Expertise

Tannelie Blom is professor of European Studies, holding the chair dedicated to the theoretical study of the process of European integration. From 2003 till 2010 he was the chair of the Department of Political Science and still is the director of the research program Politics and Culture in Europe. Tannelie Blom was a member of the board of the Netherland Institute of Governance (NIG/NOB) (2009 - 2011) and since 2005 member of the board of the German Institute Amsterdam

 

 

Keywords
European integration, theory of democracy, (administrative) governance, bureaucratic politics

Career History

Tannelie Blom studied philosophy at the University of Amsterdam. Initially specializing in political philosophy and philosophy of the social sciences he established a reputation as an expert in system theory and system theoretical sociology. During the nineties he developed an interest in the politics and theory of European integration, a subject that became his main field of academic research. He is one of the founding fathers of the European Studies program at the FASoS, currently comprising a bachelor program and three Master programs.

 

Education and training:

 

  • Gymnasium β (Revius Lyceum te Doorn (Netherlands))
  • Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Amsterdam; graduated ‘cum laude’ (highest distinction) in 1982
  • Doctorate 1997 – cum laude (highest distinction)

 

Relevant professional experience

  • Assistant at the department of philosophy of the Univ. of Amsterdam (1978 – 1979)
  • Assistant at the department pf sociology of the Univ. of Leiden (1997 – 1982)
  • Researcher at the department of sociology of the Univ. of Leiden (1982 – 1983)
  • Assistant professor at the department of philosophy of the University Maastricht (1984 – 1985)
  • Lecturer at the department of philosophy of the UM (1985 – 1999)
  • Visiting Fellow at the National Institute of Advanced Sciences (1989 – 1990)
  • Visiting Professor at the Institute of the Human Sciences – Vienna (1999)
  • Associate Professor  at the department of philosophy of the UM (2000 – 2003)
  • Director of Studies of the European Studies program (2001 - 2004)
  • Full Professor at the department of political science  of the UM (since 2003)
  • Chair of the Department of Political Science of the UM (2003 - 2010)
  • Director of the research program Politics and Culture in Europe (since 2003)
  • Member of the advisory council of the Netherlands Institute of Government (NIG) (2005 – 2009)
  • Member of the board of the German Institute Amsterdam (DIA) (since 2006)
  • Director Research Master European Studies (2009 – 2010)
  • Member of the board of NIG (2009 – 2011)

Research Profile

Being the director of the research program Politics and Culture in Europe and one of the leaders of the Administrative Governance project, currently the main focus of Tannelie Blom's research is on the role of information and expertise within multi-layered, polycentric systems of governance, in particular within the EU. Of old the literature on Public Administration and on bureaucratic organizations more in general, has emphasized the overriding importance of knowledge and expertise as resources of bureaucratic politics, i.e. of the influence and (informal) power non-elected, career civil servants can wield. The Administrative Governance project studies the way in which information is processed within the EU, relevant informational asymmetries are formed and the circumstances under which such informational asymmetries allow privileged actors an independent influence on EU policy making.

A specific sub-agenda within the overarching Administrative Governance project, and one in which Tannelie Blom is especially involved, is the 'politics of informing' the EU. If ‘politics based on information’ refers to the (more or less successful) exploitation of informational asymmetries for the promotion of particular (economic, ideational, political) interest via the policy process, then ‘politics of informing’ refers to the choices made in institutionalising the supply of policy relevant information, in standardizing this supply and in the eventual quantification of information - and to the contestability of these choices and the interests involved. On this reading The Politics of Informing the EU is a label for an empirical research agenda concentrating specifically on EU structures and institutions - like Eurostat, the Commission External Delegations or EU Agencies - that process and provide politically relevant information.

Additional roles & tasks

Professor

Chair in Theory of European integration