Interest Group Politics; Policy Advisory Systems; Organization Design and Development; European Union Politics

I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Research School of Social Sciences. Together with Professor Darren R. Halpin, I currently work on the project "Public Policy and the Transformation of Political Advocacy", funded by the ARC Discovery Scheme. For more information, please visit our project website: http://interestgroupsaustralia.com.

My research agenda integrates my two key interests: the organizational design and evolution of political organizations, notably interest groups, and their involvement in public policy. Particular topics of interest include relations between interest groups and policymakers and their role in policy advisory systems.. My work has been published in journals such as European Journal of Political Science, Public Administration, Political Studies and The Journal of European Public Policy.

Together with Professor Darren R. Halpin and Dr. Herschel F. Thomas, I co-founded the Policy Advocay Lab, which engages in foundational research, outreach with practitioners and foster public discussion around themes associated with policy advocacy. (http://policyadvocacylab.com/).

Previously I was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Guest Lecturer at the University of Antwerp, where I also completed my PhD which was part of the Odysseus project on “Multilevel Political Institutions and the Changing Politics of Interest Representation”, supported by the Research Foundation-Flanders.

I am a Visiting Research Fellow at the Antwerp Centre for Institutions and Multilevel Politics (https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/rg/acim/) and a member of the ECPR Standing Group on Interest Groups (http://www.ecpr-sgig.eu/), the Comparative Interest Group Populations Network (http://www.interest-groups.org/) and the Belgian Political Science Association. Furthermore, I hold degrees in Global Management (Antwerp Management School), Public Administration (KU Leuven) and Political Science (University of Antwerp). From 2006 until 2008, I also worked part-time as an assistant to a Member of the European Parliament, as well as at Europe Direct.

“Public Policy and the Transformation of Political Advocacy” (in collaboration with Professor Darren R. Halpin). For more information, visit our project website: http://interestgroupsaustralia.com/.

“A Revolving Door? Examining the Professional Background of Political Elites in Australia"

PUBLICATIONS

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

Halpin, D., Fraussen, B. and Nownes, A.J. 2017. The balancing act of establishing a policy agenda: Conceptualizing and measuring drivers of issue prioritization within interest groups. Governance.doi: 10.1111/gove.12284. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gove.12284/full

Halpin, D. and Fraussen, B. 2017. Conceptualising the Policy Engagement of Interest Groups: Involvement, Access and Prominence European Journal of Political Research. doi: 10.1111/1475-6765.12194. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1475-6765.12194/abstract

Fraussen, B. and Halpin, D. 2016. "Political Parties and Interest Organizations at the Crossroads: Perspectives on the Transformation of Political Organizations." Political Studies Review. doi: 10.1177/1478929916644868. http://psw.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/06/10/1478929916644868.abstract 

Fraussen, B. and Halpin, D. 2016. "Think Tanks and Strategic Policymaking: The Contribution of Think Tanks to Policy Advisory Systems." Policy Sciences. doi: 10.1007/s11077-016-9246-0. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11077-016-9246-0

Fraussen, B. and Halpin, D. 2016. "Assessing the Composition and Diversity of the Australian Interest Group System." Australian Journal of Public Administration. doi: 10.1111/1467-8500.12188. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8500.12188/abstract

Fraussen, B. and Wouters, R. 2015. "Aandacht trekken of advies verstrekken? De aanwezigheid van middenveldorganisaties in adviesraad- en beeldbuispolitiek." Res Publica 57(2):159-183.

Fraussen, B., and Beyers, J. 2015. "Who's in and who's out? Explaining access to policy-makers in Belgium". Acta Politica, doi: 10.1057/ap.2015.9. http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ap/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ap20159a.html

Beyers, J., T. Donas, and B. Fraussen. 2015. "No Place Like Home? Explaining Venue Selection of Regional Offices in Brussels". Journal of European Public Policy 22(5): 589-608. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13501763.2014.977335

Fraussen, B. 2014. "The Visible Hand of the State: On the Organizational Development of Interest Groups." Public Administration 92(2):406-21. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/padm.12056/abstract

Fraussen, B., J. Beyers, and T. Donas. 2014. "The Expanding Core and Varying Degrees of Insiderness: Institutionalized Interest Group Involvement Through Advisory Councils." Political Studies. doi: 10.1111/1467-9248.12112. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9248.12112/abstract

Donas, T., B. Fraussen, and J. Beyers 2014. "It's not all about the money: Explaining varying policy portfolios of regional representations in Brussels. " Interest Groups and Advocacy, 3(1): 79-98. http://www.palgrave-journals.com/iga/journal/v3/n1/abs/iga201315a.html

Fraussen, B. 2012. "Interest Group Politics: Continuity and Change." Journal of European Integration 34(5):523-29. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.108 /07036337.2012.690236?journalCode=geui20#.VESmnck4Jq5

Chapters in Edited Books

Daugbjerg, K, Fraussen, B., and Halpin, D. (forthcoming). Interest Groups and Policy Capacity: Resources, Networks and Time. In Xun, W., Howlett, M. and Ramesh, M. (Eds.), Policy Capacity: State and Societal Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan.

Fraussen; B., Bossens N., Keating M. and Wilson, A. 2017. Interest Groups and Policy Analysis in Belgium. In M. Brans and D. Aubin (Eds.), Policy Analysis in Belgium. Bristol: Policy Press.

Fraussen, B., Lawarée, J., Pattyn, V. 2017. Policy Analysis by Think Tanks. In M. Brans and D. Aubin (Eds.), Policy Analysis in Belgium. Bristol: Policy Press.

Fraussen, B. and Donas, T. 2015. Regions lobbying the European Union: Organizational Forms, Policy Portfolios and Venue Selection. In P. Shotton and P. Nixon (Eds.), Interest Groups in the European Union: Changing Times, Changing Minds. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/products/9781472452139

Fraussen, B., & Dejaeghere, Y. 2011. Belgian Parties, Interest Groups, Media and Public Opinion and the Presidency: A Non-Issue for Non-State Actors? In S. Van Hecke & P. Bursens (Eds.), Readjusting the Council Presidency. Belgian Leadership in the EU (pp. 79-100). Brussel: ASP. http://www.aspeditions.be/article.aspx?article_id=READJU436I