With a background in linguistics (BA), discourse studies (MA), argumentation and rhetoric (RMA) and EU law (professional courses), I am particularly fascinated by the use of language for persuasive purposes, particularly in the political and legal contexts, and their interdependency in policymaking.

I am working as an Assistant Professor at the Amsterdam Centre for Language and Communication (ACLC) where I am leading the research group on ‘Persuasive discourse across domains’ (PERSUADE) whose main goal is to understand, explain and improve persuasive language in institutionalized communication (law, science, health, politics).

My research includes various themes and methodological approaches and is highly interdisciplinary. In close collaboration with EU scholars, I have been researching EU policymaking and legislation and how these can be improved from a discursive and legal perspective. Using a diversity of qualitative research methods, we developed a legal-argumentative toolbox for the analysis and assessment of various binding and non-binding EU legal instruments, as well as practical guidelines for their drafting and better lawmaking. I have also been researching argument types commonly employed in (EU) policymaking (such as pragmatic, scientific, numerical, authority, ignorance arguments) to understand and explain their forms, characteristics and functions, as well as evaluate their soundness and how it can be remedied in this context. Moreover, my research has been concerned with how citizens raise resistance to certain metaphors and why, and how public political communication can be adjusted to obtain acceptance for policies. Using experimental insights, we have also investigated the role of biased reasoning on perception of argument soundness in political decision-making. Most recently, I have examined how quoting and misquoting are employed as discursive strategies to manage disagreement with the opponents in institutionalized interactions, such as parliamentary debates and election debates, and how identity appeals are employed by EU institutions to legitimize controversial measures during crisis when fast action is urgently needed. In addition to my research, I have a particular interest in the methodological and ethical aspects of language research. I have edited special issues on law, language and rule-making (with Candida Leone), argumentation in European Politics (with Bart Garssen), argumentation in journalism (with Andreea Rocci) and polarized institutionalized interactions (with Menno Reijven, forthcoming).

My teaching is closely related to my research interests and includes a broad range of courses at all levels in discourse, pragmatics, stylistics, argumentation, rhetoric, research methods, legal language, political discourse and organizational communication. I have been nominated three times for the faculty teaching prize and supervised numerous BA- and MA-theses, some of which have been nominated or awarded prizes.

I have successfully co-directed several PhD-dissertations and supervised postdoc research. Currently, I am co-supervising a PhD project on identity arguments (with Jean Wagemans and Menno Reijven) and a postdoc project on climate crisis awareness-raising discourse.

I have been serving the field as co-editor of the journal Argumentation and advisory board member of Journal of Argumentation in Context and Studies in Communication Sciences.

At Faculty level, I am currently serving as Programme Director of the dual MA programme in Communication and Information Studies. The programme, lasting 1.5 years, has a unique focus on the study of argumentative discourse in the health, political, organizational and scientific contexts and prepares students for a practical career in communication through a dedicated internship programme. I am also the Chair of the Cluster Language and Literature of the Faculty Examination Board.