Bastian Ravesteijn receives an NWO Open Competition SSH XS grant on the Dutch Opportunity Gap
Research fellow Bastian Ravesteijn, affiliated with the Erasmus School of Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam, has been awarded an Open Competition SSH XS grant by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) in the first round of 2025.
His project, titled '“How, when, and where does the opportunity gap open up in the Netherlands?' explores to what extent are the outcomes of individuals associated with the circumstances in which they grew up? By tracing the origins and dynamics of the opportunity gap, Ravesteijn aims to generate clearer insights into how early-life conditions affect later-life outcomes.
Project
The Netherlands is considered an egalitarian country, with a strong social safety net, employment protection, and universal health insurance with broad basic coverage. But to what extent are the outcomes of individuals associated with the circumstances in which they grew up? The project uses rich administrative data of the full Dutch population to explore how differences in opportunity arise in terms of health, education, housing, and economic activity, measured at different ages. In addition, the project will characterize Dutch municipalities and neighborhoods where upward intergenerational social mobility is particularly high or low.
NWO Open Competition SSH
Launched in 2022, the NWO Open Competition SSH Call offers three types of grants to support research in the social sciences and humanities. The XS grant specifically encourages curiosity-driven, bold ideas through short-term projects (maximum 12 months). These high-risk, high-gain initiatives must be ground-breaking and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of science.
Awarded TI projects
Two research fellows affiliated to Tinbergen Institute have received an Open Competition SSH XS grant during this round: Bastian Ravesteijn (Erasmus University Rotterdam), and Rex Wang-Renjie (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam).