Isabelle Ferreras

[PhD, MSc] FNRS – LOUVAIN – ROYAL ACADEMY OF BELGIUM – HARVARD – OXFORD

CV

Summary

Education

PhD in Sociology, University of Louvain (UCLouvain, Belgium), 2004

Master of Science in Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T., U.S.A.), 2004 (GPA: 5.0/5.0)

Harvard Trade Union Program Certificate, Class of 2005, Harvard Law School, Harvard University

Honor and Awards

Honorary Degree/Doctorat Honoris Causa in Industrial Relations, Université Laval, Canada (2024)

Elected Full Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fines Arts of Belgium, Class Technology and Society (2017)

Appointments

Current position:

FNRS Research Director (Directrice de recherches) of the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research FNRS (Brussels, Belgium),

Professor extraordinaire at the Department of Political and Social Sciences and at the School of Economics, University of Louvain, Permanent Senior Member of CriDIS/IACCHOS Institute/UCLouvain,

Senior Research Associate of the Center for Labor and a Just Economy, Harvard Law School, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA.

Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute for Ethics in AI (IEAI) at Jesus College, University of Oxford.

Past appointments:

Academic year 2023-2024: Visiting research fellow at the Institute for Ethics in AI, University of Oxford and Supernumerary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford University.

President of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fines Arts of Belgium 2021-2022. Director of the Technology and Society Class 2021-2022.

Guest Professor, DAAD Chair for International Comparative Studies, Graduate School of Social Sciences, University of Bremen (Germany) and Fellow, Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg (HWK)/Institute for Advanced Studies (Delmenhorst, Germany). Doctoral and post-doctoral Researcher (2000-2007): National Fund for Scientific Research, Brussels; Wertheim Fellow, Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School, Harvard University; Affiliate, the Gunzburg Center for European Studies Harvard University; Graduate student affiliate, the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA; Visiting Scholar, Department of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Research Fellow, European Union Center and Industrial Relations Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; Research Fellow, Center for Philosophy of Law, Law School, Université catholique de Louvain.

Areas of specialization

Sociology (Sociology of Work, Economic Sociology, Political Sociology, Industrial Relations, Sociology of the Firm, Sociology of Labor Law, Critical Theory, Social Theory), Political theory (Democratic Theory), Political theory of the firm

Publications

Firms as Political Entities. Saving Democracy through Economic Bicameralism (Cambridge University Press, 2017, paperback 2018), Gouverner le capitalisme ? Pour le bicamérisme économique (Presses universitaires de France, 2012), Critique politique du travail (Presses de Sciences Po, Paris, 2007) ;

Co-authored: with Battilana J., Méda D., Le Manifeste Travail. Démocratiser, démarchandiser, dépolluer (Le Seuil, Paris, 2020), forthcoming as Democratize Work. The Case for Reorganizing the Economy, The University of Chicago Press, (Spring 2022);

book chapters at Cambridge University Press, Beacon Press, Routledge, Hermann, Armand Colin, a.o.;

scientific papers in Political Theory, Organization Theory, Recherches sociologiques et anthropologiques, Raisons pratiques, Cahiers de droit de l’entreprise, International Journal of Manpower, Concepts and Methods, a.o.

Teaching

2021-22: Holder of the Chaire internationale Henri Janne in Sociology, Université libre de Bruxelles

Since 2021-22: University Paris-Dauphine PLS, Graduate Seminar in the Strategy and Organizations Masters Programme

Since 2019: Harvard Law School, Trade Union annual Program;

Since Fall 2007: University of Louvain (Economics School of Louvain, Department of Political and Social Sciences), Associate Professor, then Professor;

Spring-Summer 2007: Bremen University, Germany, Guest DAAD Professor;

Fall 2004: Harvard University, Harvard College, Teaching Fellow

Education

University of Louvain/Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium), 1993-2004

PhD in Sociology, Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Louvain (May 28, 2004)

Dissertation : « Le travail démocratique. Du caractère expressif, public et politique de l’expérience du travail dans les services. Le cas des caissières de supermarchés syndiquées en Belgique » (pp. 602 + annexes) this reads in English: Democratic Work. About the expressive, public, and political logic of work in the service industry. The case of unionized check-out clercks in Belgium.

Jury: Prof. Albert Bastenier (Chair), Prof. Jean De Munck, Prof. Michel Molitor, Prof. Russell Muirhead (Harvard), Prof. Patrizia Nanz (Bremen, Germany) (non-grading system)

1998-2001: Doctoral Program (course-work) (UCLouvain), Interdisciplinary Program “Norms, negotiation, and conflict” (organized by the Center for Philosophy of Law, UCLouvain)

1995-98: Licenciée in Sociology avec ‘la plus grande distinction’ (masters, summa cum laude) (June 1998), ranked top student of the class of 1998, thesis under the supervision of Professor Albert Bastenier “Le social des économistes – Enquête sur quelques représentations chez les économistes de la constitution de la société” (The economists’ social fact – The views of orthodox economists about the constitution of society)

Only licencié (BA with Honors) in Sociology to receive the highest grade “la plus grande distinction” for the period 1992-93 to 1997-1998.

1993-95: 2 years of “candidatures” in the interdisciplinary program (college program):

Candidate in Economics, Social and Political Sciences (U.C.L.), with distinction (1994-95) et grande distinction (1993-94)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T., Cambridge, Mass.), 2003-04

Master’s of Science in Political Science

Graduate Point Average: 5.0/5.0 (only student in the class to get a 5.0 average)

Classes with Professors Suzanne Berger, Joshua Cohen, Richard Locke, Michael Piore, Amartya Sen (through cross-registration at Harvard), Sarah Song.

Master Thesis: “On Economic Bicameralism”, Committee: Prof. Joshua Cohen (chair), Prof. Michael Piore. Grade: A

Isabelle Ferreras, On Economic Bicameralism, 2004, Cambridge MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Publ., Master Thesis, Online library: https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/28755

Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A.), 2005:

Harvard Trade Union Program Certificate (6-week executive program for union leaders, January-February 2005), Harvard Law School

Research Affiliations

ongoing (from September 2024 onwards): Distinguished Research fellow at the Institute for Ethics in AI at Jesus College, University of Oxford

ongoing (from 2022 onwards): Research Director of the Belgian National Science Foundation (F.N.R.S., Brussels).

ongoing (from September 2006 onwards): Senior Research Associate of the Labor and Worklife Program, now: Center for Labor and a Just Economy, Harvard Law School, Harvard University (https://clje.law.harvard.edu/)

ongoing (from May 2006 onwards): Founding Member and Permanent Researcher of the CriDIS, UCLouvain (Centre de recherches interdisciplinaires Démocratie, Institutions et Subjectivité), IACCHOS (Institute for the Analysis of Change in Contemporary and Historical Societies), coordinator of the Travail, entreprise, démocratie Research Unit, Université catholique de Louvain
(https://uclouvain.be/fr/instituts-recherche/iacchos/cridis)

ongoing (from September 2001 onwards): Associate Member of the Hoover Chair of Economic and Social Ethics, UCL, dir. Prof. Philippe Van Parijs, Université catholique de Louvain (https://uclouvain.be/fr/facultes/espo/hoover)

September 2023-2024 : Visiting research fellow at the Institute for Ethics in AI at Jesus College, University of Oxford

September 2000-2009: Associate Researcher, Unité d’anthropologie et sociologie, Département des sciences politiques et sociales, Université catholique de Louvain

April 2007-July 2007: Visiting Professor, DAAD Chair for International Comparative Studies, Graduate School of Social Sciences, University of Bremen (Germany), Fellow, Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg (HWK)/Institute for Advanced Studies (Delmenhorst, Germany)

September 2004-August 2006: Research Associate of the Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School, Harvard University (research project coordinator for the “Wage and work Indicator Survey” aka ‘worklifewizard.org’, in collaboration with Prof. Richard Freeman, Harvard/NBER/LSE). Post-doctoral fellowship from September 2004 to February 2005.

2003-05: Affiliate (2004-05) and Graduate Student Affiliate (2003-04) of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge MA. (U.S.A.)

September 2004-February 2005: Wertheim Fellow of the Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School, Harvard University

February-August 2003: Visiting Scholar at the Department of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (U.S.A.), sponsored by Prof. Joshua Cohen.

September-December 2000: Visiting Researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (U.S.A.), with the European Union Center, the Industrial Relations Research Institute, and the Department of Sociology, sponsored by Prof. Jonathan Zeitlin.

Royal Academy of Belgium

2021-2022: President of the Royal Academy of Belgium (Académie royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique)

2021-2022: Elected Director of the Class Technology and Society on November 14, 2020, for the years 2021 and 2022

2020-ongoing, Member of the Working Group on Rethinking Corporate Governance, including Véronique Cabiaux (coordinator), Jean-Pierre Hansen, Xavier Dieux, Dominique Méda, and non-Academy members: Elise Dermine, Jacques Crahay.

2019-April 2023, Academic coordinator of the « Chaire SFPI » at the Royal Academy of Belgium

Elected full member on March 25, 2017, member of the Class Technology and Society.

Presidency (2021-2022)

  • December 16, 2022, Séance d’installation du Collegium et réception des nouveaux membres associés, à l’occasion des 250 ans de l’Académie royale de Belgique, address by the President, Isabelle Ferreras
    PDF of Isabelle’s address
  • November 16, 2022, Célébration officielle de la création de l’Académie impériale et royale des Sciences et Belles-Lettres de Bruxelles, en présence du Roi, en collaboration avec la Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België, address by the President, Isabelle Ferreras
    PDF of Isabelle’s address
  • October 22, 2022, Royal Academy of Belgium, public session of the Class Technology and Society, « Le Rapport Meadows a 50 ans. Des rapports Science, Technologie et Société », introduction and conclusion as Director of the Class
    Recording
  • October 1, 2022, Rentrée académique at the Royal Academy of Belgium, address by the President, Isabelle Ferreras
    PDF of Isabelle’s address · Recording
  • October 2, 2021, Rentrée académique at the Royal Academy of Belgium, address by the President, Isabelle Ferreras
    PDF of Isabelle’s address · Recording
  • June 23, 2021, Brussels, Royal Academy of Belgium: « Objectif Mars ? » Fictions and Aspirations behind the dream to conquer Mars. Joint session of the four Classes of the Royal Academy, coordinated by Isabelle Ferreras. Webinar

As President, Isabelle led various initiatives, among which:

  • Seeking gender parity and making room for the youth: the reform of the statutes of the Royal Academy (available on this page)
    Explanation about the reach of the gender parity reform.
  • Bridging the gap between science and society: a new participatory format was designed and implemented
    • September 24, 2021, « L’Intelligence artificielle : avec ou sans vous ? », study day organized by the Classe Technologie et Société at the Royal Academy of Belgium, with experts of the field (Hugues Bersini of Université libre de Bruxelles, Carine Doutrelepont of Doutrelepont & Associés, and Benoît Macq of UCLouvain): more info on this page
    • November 28, 2022, « Désinformation & fake news : Que reste-t-il de la vérité ? À qui profite le crime ? », study day organized by the Classe des Lettres et des Sciences morales et politiques at the Royal Academy of Belgium, with experts of the field (Emmanuelle Danblon, André Helbo, Nathalie Skowronek, Helena Pelaez, Massimo Leone, François Jost): more information on this page
  • Playing its part in the war in Ukraine, as host of the UAI (Union académique internationale) based at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels, since 1919: creation of the Academy Committee for Sustainable Peace, and opening of 4 positions for Ukrainians and Russian dissident scholars and artists

Director of the Class Technology and Society (2021-2022)

The Class meets every month. Its convening is never public except for one public session held once a year on the 3rd Saturday of October.

October 22, 2022, Royal Academy of Belgium, public session of the Class Technology and Society, « Le Rapport Meadows a 50 ans. Des rapports Science, Technologie et Société », introduction and conclusion as Director of the Class (recording available online)
The program is available on this page.

October 23, 2021, Royal Academy of Belgium, public session of the Class Technology and Society, « Face aux défis de l’intelligence artificielle », with Benoît Macq, Carine Doutrelepont et Benoît Frydman, introduction and conclusion as Director of the Class (recording available online)
The program is available on this page.

Chaire SFPI

https://academieroyale.be — Chaire SFPI

2019-April 2023, Academic coordinator of the « Chaire SFPI » at the Royal Academy of Belgium

Chair established by Belgium’s “sovereign fund” (Société Fédérale de Participations et d’Investissement – SFPI) and the Royal Academy of Belgium in support of researching how the role of the State as investor in private companies can be leveraged to promote sustainability

2022-2023: Chair holder: Dr. Jerome Warren (University of Cologne PhD 2022)
Theme: « Vers l’entreprise durable. L’investissement durable comme processus de transition au niveau de l’entreprise »

Chaire SFPI Conference cycle organized by Collège Belgique, in Brussels (Belgium) (all the recordings are available on l’Academie.tv):

Internal seminars: November 24 and December 14, 2022

2020-2021: Chair holder: Dr. Maximilian Krahé (Yale PhD 2019)
Theme: « Les investissements publics, comme leviers des États au profit du développement durable »

Chaire SFPI Conference cycle organized by Collège Belgique, in Brussels (Belgium) (all the recordings are available on l’Academie.tv):

Report released: Max Krahé, 2021, “From System-Level to Investment-Level Sustainability: An Epistemological One-Way Street,” Brussels: Royal Academy of Belgium, Coll. Opinio 1 (available online)

June 17, 2021, “The Challenge facing Sustainable Finance: From system-level to investment-level Sustainability. An epistemological one-way street,” Seminar discussing the Chaire SFPI Report by Max Krahé, June 2021, with presentations of Isabelle Ferreras, Maximilian Krahé, Jacques Pélerin (Reverse Metallurgy), Bernard Gustin (CEO FlightLevel 500, Chairman Elia Group), Jean-Pierre Hansen, Elia Trippel (EU Commission), Thomas Dermine (State Secretary for Scientific Policy, Recovery Program and Strategic Investments at Belgian Federal Government), followed by a debate with all the participants.

Other Academic Responsibilities

2015-ongoing, Academic co-chair of the Research group Travail, entreprise, démocratie (Work, Business, Democracy) inside the CriDIS Center, IACCHOS Institute, UCLouvain. Co-chair: Dr. Julien Charles.

Monthly workshop with doctoral students and researchers from October to December, from February to May, annual day retreat in July

2015-2021, Academic coordinator of the Democracy, Cultures & Action Fund/Chaire Démocratie, Cultures & Engagement, established by the UCLouvain:

Chaire funded by the Louvain Foundation ($450.000 funding from the Legs Pierre De Merre), 4 academic co-chairs: Prof. Philippe Coppens, Isabelle Ferreras, Matthieu de Nanteuil & Marc Verdussen.

Academic Chair for the 3-day student training program Peacejam Program developed with Nobel Peace Laureates (Peacejam.org), sponsored by the 4 Belgian universities UCLouvain, ULBruxelles, KULeuven, VUBrussel:

  • at ULBruxelles in October 2016 with the Dalaï Lama and Judy Williams,
  • at UCLouvain in November 2017, with Shirin Ebadi,
  • at KULeuven in March 2018, with Tawakkol Karman,
  • at VUBrussel in March 2020, with Rigoberta Menchu

Seminars organized:

  • October 27, 2015: Inaugural session of the Fund « Démocratie, Cultures & Engagement » by Jean-Marc Ferry
  • May 13, 2016: « Foi et Raison : la place de la religion dans l’espace public » with Jean-Marc Ferry (U. Nantes)
  • June 3, 2016: Workshop on Constitutional Transitions/Les transitions constitutionnelles. Cases covered: South Africa, Tunisia, Burma
  • October 27, 2016: « Pourquoi une Constitution dans un Etat de droit ? » with Xavier Philippe (U. Aix-en-Provence) and Dominique Rousseau (U. Paris-Sorbonne)
  • March 27, 2017: “Law in Transitional Contexts: Violence and Non-Violence” with Boaventura De Sousa Santos (U. Coimbra/Madison-Wisconsin)
  • May 12, 2017: « Violence et non-violence de l’économie » with Etienne Balibar (U. Paris-Nanterre, California-Irvine, Columbia)
  • November 17, 2017: “Building Peace: University and Civil Society in the Service of a Culture of Peace?” with Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate + Inauguration of the PeaceJam program hosted by ULB, UCLouvain, VUB, KULeuven
  • December 20, 2017: « Walter Benjamin et la question de la violence » with Philippe Coppens
  • May 18, 2018: « Benjamin et Weber face à la violence : complémentaires ou opposés ? » with Matthieu de Nanteuil
  • June 21, 2018: « Walter Benjamin et le conflit armé colombien : questions et perspectives » with Leopoldo Múnera Ruiz (Universidad Nacional de Colombia)
  • September 28, 2018: « Benjamin et la Théorie critique : quelle place, quelle contribution ? » with Louis Carré
  • October, November, December: 3 1-day workshop on Transition and Reconstruction (manuscript workshop around forthcoming edited volume by the Democracy, Cultures & Action Fund)

2015-18, Faculty representative, Board of the CriDIS research centre, IACCHOS Institute, UCLouvain

Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE.org)

From 2019 on, Ferreras has launched with Gerhard Schnyder, Imran Chowdhury, Anna Skarpelis a new initiative featuring 2 panels at the SASE annual meeting “Social Sciences for Real Life” with large attendance numbers (250 people). 2019: NYC, 2020: Amsterdam (switched online due to covid pandemic), 2021: online (due to covid pandemic).

From 2017 on, Isabelle Ferreras has co-organized with CRIMT fellow associates a new research network inside SASE: “Institutional Experimentation in the Regulation of Work and Employment.” On average the network features 10 panels at each SASE annual conference. 2017: Lyon, 2018: Kyoto, 2019: NYC, 2020: Amsterdam (switched online), 2021: online.

In June 2012, she was elected to the SASE Executive Council for a 3-year term, then re-elected once. Serving on the Doctoral Awards Committee. She is serving now a SASE network organizer.

Isabelle Ferreras is an active member of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE). Between 2007 and 2013, Isabelle Ferreras was involved as a Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE) network organizer for the network « Law and the Social Sciences », in collaboration with two Law professors, Katherine Stone (UCLA) and Alvaro Santos (Georgetown University). Conferences prepared: 2008 in San José, Costa Rica; 2009 in Paris, France; 2010 in Philadelphia, USA; 2011 in Madrid; 2012 in Boston; 2013 in Milano.

Teaching

Teaching in 2024-25

Given my appointment as a FNRS Research Director, my focus is on research. Still, I enjoy teaching very much. I teach three classes at UCLouvain:

  • Since 2024: Ecole des Sciences Politiques et Sociales (PSAD) “Sociology of Economic Practices : Capitalism and the anthropocene” (LSOC2045), Masters’ program (30 hours) (taught in French). Fall/1er quadrimestre
  • Since 2011: Institut des Sciences du Travail, “Sociologie du Travail” (LTRAV2200), Masters’ program, teaching shared with Professor Matthieu de Nanteuil (30 hours) (taught in French) – Economy and Society. Fall/1e quadrimestre
  • Since 2007: Louvain School of Economics, “Economy and Society” (ECON2340), Masters’ program, teaching shared with Professor Christian Arnsperger from 2007 to 2012, and with Professor Géraldine Thiry from 2013 on (30 hours) and Dr. Tom Duterme (PhD) since 2024 (taught in English). Fall/1e quadrimestre

Since 2017, I am also teaching in the Trade Union Program, the executive program tailored for union leaders, organized by the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard University. The program is held annually in Cambridge MA in January/February-March. See https://lwp.law.harvard.edu/htup

Other appointments for the academic year 2021-2022:

  • Holder of the Chaire Henry Janne, established at the Université libre de Bruxelles in the sociology department (15h teaching on the holder’s distinctive research program)
  • University Paris-Dauphine PLS, France, Graduate Seminar “The Challenges of democratizing Work,” (15h) in the masters research program Strategy and organization. https://dauphine.psl.eu

Teaching experience

  • Since 2024: Sociology of Economic Practices : Capitalism and the anthropocene” (LSOC2045), Masters’ program, UCLouvain (taught in French)
  • Since 2010, Sociologie du travail (LTRAV 2200) avec Matthieu de Nanteuil, Master en sciences du travail, UCLouvain (enseigné en français/taught in French)
  • Since 2009, Economy and Society (ECON 2340) with Christian Arnsperger, Masters’ Program in Economics, UCLouvain (taught in English)
  • Fall 2006-Spring 2009: Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium, Associate Professor (chargé de cours), Faculté ouverte de politique économique et sociale. “Politique, acteurs et décision”, introductory class in political science and the Belgian political system (30 hours) (enseigné en Français/taught in French)
  • Spring-Summer 2007: University of Bremen, Germany, DAAD Guest Professor:
    • European Labour Relations (30h) (Masters Program in European Labour Studies) (taught in English);
    • Research Perspectives, Doctoral seminar (30h) (Graduate School for Social Sciences) (taught in English);
  • Fall 2005-Spring 2009: Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium, seminar co-organizer with Axel Gosseries (FNRS, ETES) “Workplace democracy Workshop” (monthly seminar with guests). Co-editor of the WDW working paper series (French/English).
  • Fall 2004: Harvard University, USA, Harvard College, Teaching Fellow for Professor Glyn Morgan, “The Public and the Private in Politics, Morality, and Law” (30 hours).

PhD Committees, Supervision, and Habilitation

2023-ongoing: Université de Paris-Dauphine PLS (Sociologie), Thibault Crismer, “Indicateur de démocratie au travail. Essai de mesure et enjeux critiques”, Thèse en Cifre en partenariat avec AD Conseil, sous la direction de la Professeure Dominique Méda. Membre du comité. – Co-president of the steering committee of the IDO (the Democracy within Organizations Index), involving the main French trade unions (CFDT and CGT) and employers associations (Impact France, Centre des Jeunes Dirigeants, …).

2022-ongoing, Université de Corse (Département Economie et Gestion), Laurent Grandguillaume, « Droit au travail et droit à l’emploi : influences des imaginaires sociaux sur les expérimentations territoriales », Patrice Terramorsi, Co-directeur de thèse. Member of the commitee.

2022-ongoing: Université de Fribourg (Sociologie), Robin Jolissaint, “Atteindre ses objectifs de durabilité écologique en entreprise : comment les enjeux sociaux, culturels, politiques et économiques influencent-ils sur la réorganisation du travail dans une PME souhaitant effectuer une transition écologique ?”, PhD Program in Social Sciences. Co-chair with Prof. François Gauthier

University of Groningen (Department of Philosophy), Selina Schröttle, “Autonomy at Work. A Normative Evaluation of Employees’ Position in the German Codetermination System” External member of the jury. Supervisors: L. M.Herzog and R. P. M. Wittek. Defense October 2024

Université catholique de Louvain (Sociologie), Joseph Vaessen, « Le travail volontaire. De sa codification juridique à ses expériences vécues : Étude comparée de trois organisations en Belgique ? », 2019-2024 co-supervisor: Prof. Marc Zune. PhD Program in Political and Social Sciences. Defended on February 19, 2024

Université de Lille (Economie), Julien Pharo, « Fiscalité et démocratie des entreprises. Enjeux théoriques et pratiques de la mise en place d’une fiscalité incitative procédurale (FIP) », External member of the jury. Supervisor: Prof Nicolas Postel. Defended on November 24, 2023

Université catholique de Louvain (Sociology), Olivier Jégou, « Travailler, entre liberté et démocratie : enquête sur l’imaginaire néomanagérial en entreprise », co-chair: Prof. Laurent Taskin. PhD Program in Political and Social Sciences. Defended on October 2, 2023

Université Paris-Saclay (Sociology), Camille Dupuy, « Le travail face au capital. Représentations et mobilisations collectives de travailleur.ses subordonné.es » (garant Prof. Laurent Willemez). Member of the HDR (Habilitation à diriger les recherches en sociologie), Jury. Defended on November 29, 2022

Université libre de Bruxelles & Universidad de Castilla-la Mancha (Political and Social Sciences and in Labour and Social Security Law), Sara Lafuente Hernandez, « Democracy at work under Europeanisation. An institutional and socio-political analysis of worker representation on boards », External member of the jury. Supervisors: Prof Esteban Martinez, Pierre Desmarez, Luz Rodriguez Fernandez. PhD Program in Political and Social Sciences and in Labour and Social Security Law. Defended on December 1, 2022

Université PLS – Ecole nationale supérieure des mines de Paris (Decision-making Sciences and Management), Corentin Gombert, « Incarner la démocratie dans l’entreprise. Une recherche-intervention dans une SCOP de conseil » PhD Program in Decision-making Sciences and Management. External member of the jury. Supervisors: Prof Jean-Claude Sardas et Cédric Dalmasso. Defended on December 12, 2022

Université Paris VIII, Paris, Min Zhang, “Secular Stagnation and the fourth Industrial Revolution.” PhD dissertation in economics. Co-chair with Prof. Arnaud Orain (Paris VIII). Defended on December 8, 2021.

Université de Paris-Dauphine, Paris, Guillaume Compain, « Les coopératives des plateforme. Quelle alternative ? », PhD Program in Sociology. External member of the jury. Supervisor Prof. Dominique Méda. Defended on June 29, 2021.

Université de Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, Camille Ternier, « Etre des travailleurs libres. Enjeux pour la théorie politique. Le cas des coopératives de producteurs » (dir. Emmanuel Picavet). PhD Program in Philosophy. External member of the jury. Jury: Profs. Emmanuel Renault, Marc Fleurbaey, Sandra Laugier. Defended on December 21, 2019.

Université catholique de Louvain, Nicolás Orellana Águila (Becas Chile Conycit), “Changement social en Argentine et au Chili. Luttes, conflits, mouvements sociaux.”, Bernard Francq (chair), advisors : Isabelle Ferreras, Danilo Martuccelli (CERLIS Paris-Descartes). PhD Program in Sociology. Defended on May 28, 2017.

CNAM, Paris, Maëlezig Bigi, « Reconnaissance et organisation du travail. Perspectives françaises et européennes » (dir. Dominique Méda and Michel Lallement), PhD dissertation in sociology, External member of the jury. Defended on December 5, 2016.

Sciences Po, Paris, Hadrien Coutant, « Un Capitalisme d’ingénieurs. Construire un groupe aéronautique après une fusion » (dir. Pierre-Eric Tixier), PhD dissertation in sociology, Rapporteur. November 28, 2016.

Université catholique de Louvain, Emeline De Bouver (Bernheim Fellow),”La simplicité volontaire et les nouvelles pratiques manageriales comme critiques du capitalisme ?” co-chair : prof. Christian Arnsperger. PhD Program in Political and Social Sciences. Defended on Septembre 24, 2015

Université catholique de Louvain, Céline Donis, « De l’intérêt d’une lecture territoriale pour appréhender les dynamiques de transformation des espaces de travail : une perspective critique et politique en management. » PhD dissertation in sciences du travail (Work and Employment studies). External member of the jury. Defended on July 10, 2015, Mons.

Sciences Po, Paris, Emmanuelle Marchal, “Les incertitudes sur la valeur des candidats. Contribution à la sociologie du marché du travail” (dir. Prof. Didier Demazière). Member of the HDR (Habilitation à diriger les recherches en sociologie), Jury November 15, 2013.

Université catholique de Louvain, Priscilla Claeys (PAI Fellow),”Claiming Rights and Reclaiming Control. The Creation of New Human Rights by the Transnational Agrarian Movement Via Campesina and the Transformation of the Right to Food”, co-chair: Prof. Olivier De Schutter. PhD Program in Political and Social Sciences. Doctorate granted on February 19, 2013.

Service to Society

2025-ongoing, Chair of the ‘International Committee of High-Level Experts on Workplace Democracy’ by the Spanish Government’

The Spanish Ministry of Labour has established an expert committee tasked with drafting a report on Article 129.2 of the Spanish Constitution. The report will outline the importance of granting workers participation and ownership rights at the firm level, and propose a pathway for the Spanish Government to move forward with economic democracy.

As part of its coalition agreement, the Spanish Government had indeed committed to legislating on this Article, making this initiative a significant step toward democratizing firms. Here is the Government’s official announcement

The committee includes three members of the #DemocratizingWork Core Group: Julie Battilana (Harvard Business School & Harvard Kennedy School), Sara Lafuente Hernández (University of Brussels/European Trade Union Institute), and Isabelle Ferreras (FNRS/University of Louvain-Harvard CLJE), who serves as chair of the committee. The other committee members are Jeremias Adams-Prassl (University of Oxford), Edurne Ormaetxea Aurrekoetxea (University of Deusto), Vicente Salas Fumás (University of Zaragoza), Benjamin Braun (Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies), Erinch Sahan (Doughnut Economics Action Lab), Daniel Innerarity (European University Institute/University of the Basque Country), Sergio Gonzalez Begega (University of Oviedo), Isabel-Gemma Fajardo García (University of Valencia) et Antonio Baylos (University of Castilla-La Mancha).

The Report is expected by next September

For more information, here is a selection of the coverage:

2023-ongoing, Member of the Advisory Board of the International Panel on Social Progress https://www.ipsp.org/advisory-board

  • September 27-29, 2023, Paris, First meeting of the Advisory Board

2022-2023, Appointed by the federal government to serve as Member of the High Scientific Committee for a Just Transition, established by Minister Zakia Khattabi, minister for climate, environment, sustainable development and the Green Deal of the Federal government of Belgium

  • Final report: Just Transition in Belgium. Concepts, Issues at Stake, and Policy Levers. Scientific Report on behalf of the High Committee for a Just Transition for the Belgian Federal Minister for Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal (November 2023) link
  • Political Memorandum: Vers une Transition Juste en Belgique (November 2023) link

from 2019 to 2023, Co-founder and member of the board of the cooperative start-up Hyppy, Brussels

from 2020 to 2022, Appointed by the Minister of Economic Transition, Barbara Trachte, of the Brussels Region on the Mission reprise d’entreprises en difficulté par/avec leurs travailleurs (Taskforce on saving businesses by or with their own employees) to serve as academic expert

from 2015 to 2019, Member of the board of Institut royal pour Sourds et Aveugles (I.R.S.A.), Brussels

from 1999 to 2010, Founding and active member of Actions Birmanie/Burma Action Group, NGO that acts for the defense of human rights and democracy in Burma http://www.birmanie.net/

from 2000 to 2010, member of the editorial board of La Revue Nouvelle (founded in 1945), Brussels

1995-96, President of the University of Louvain Student Union (Assemblée générale des étudiants de l’Université catholique de Louvain – A.G.L.), member of the Council of the Federation of the Belgian French-speaking students (Fédération des étudiants francophones – F.E.F.)

1994-95, President of the Committee for Teaching and Education at A.G.L., students’ representative at the Academic Board of the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)

1993-94, member of the “Flying University Project“, cooperative partnership between university students from the UCLouvain, ULB, the University of Paris I-Sorbonne, the University of Paris X-Nanterre, and university students in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia during the war in ex-Yougoslavia. Journey into ex-Yougoslavia (January 1994)

Significant Research Networks

Ongoing (from August 2024 onwards) TRAIL (Trusted AI Labs) Institute, joining 5 Belgian universities UCLouvain, ULB, U. Namur, U. Mons, U. Liège, funding for AI and corporate governance research in the social sciences and ethics in AI research track. Funding to Ferreras: 80,500€ to hire a full-time research assistant (12 months)

2021-2025: Belgium Federal Government BELSPO Research Fund (Pillar 3 Call 2020-21 Theme: A just transition towards a carbon-neutral society): “Bridging decarbonization and labour market in sustainability transitions” (LAMARTRA), Coordinator: Tom Bauler (ULBruxelles). Total research project funding: 1,106,208€, Funding to Ferreras: 310,158€

Ongoing (from 2021 on), Academic coordinator of the Democratizing Work program at the Center for Labor and a Just Economy, Harvard Law School, Harvard University.

Ongoing (from May 2020 onwards): Co-leader of the Democratizing Work Network with Julie Battilana (Harvard Business School/Harvard Kennedy School) and Dominique Méda (University Paris-Dauphine PLS), including in the core group: Alyssa Battistoni (Harvard University), Adelle Blackett (McGill University), Julia Cagé (Sciences Po-Paris), Neera Chandhoke (University of Delhi), Lisa Herzog (University of Groningen), Imge Kaya Sabanci (IE Business School, Madrid), Sara Lafuente Hernandez (University of Brussels-ETUI), Hélène Landemore (Yale University), Flavia Maximo (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brazil), Dominique Méda (University of Paris Dauphine PLS), Pavlina R. Tcherneva (Bard College-OSUN-Levy Institute).

Coordinating initiatives linked to the op-ed Work: Democratize, decommodify, decarbonize (www.DemocratizingWork.org) with its 7000 signatories i.e. book writing, translations, seminars and science/society discussion forum like the first Global Forum on Democratizing Work organized online on October 5-7, 2021 with more than 3000 registered participants (funding from Harvard, Yale, Groningen, Louvain, Bard College).

Ongoing (from January 2017 onwards): Partner and head of university center affiliate (UCLouvain), in the global research collaborative partnership “CRIMT,” (Centre de recherches interdisciplinaires sur la mondialisation et le travail) based at the University of Montreal, focusing on institutional experimentation for better work. Drawing together a group of more than 120 researchers in the fields of industrial relations, political economy, labor law, and sociology from 17 leading university centers across the globe (including Ferreras’ own research center, CriDIS at UCLouvain) with Cornell, Cardiff, Bristol, Paris-Dauphine, McGill, Rutgers, Renmin University, etc. Partnership funded by a CAN $ 2.5 million grant from the Canadian government.

Ongoing (from January 2016 onwards): Founder of the Endicott team, transatlantic transdisciplinary research team working on studying the conditions of democratization of transnational firms. Meeting every month of January at the MIT Endicott house since 2016 (during non-covid years). Members: Robert Fannion (political economy and corporate law, Berkeley), Pierre François (sociology of markets, CNRS-Sciences Po, Paris), Paulin Ismard (history of antiquity, Paris-Sorbonne), Auriane Lamine (labor law, UCLouvain), Hélène Landemore (political theory, Yale), Liam McHugh-Russell (corporate finance and law, EUI, Florence), Benjamin McKean (political theory, Ohio State U.), Sanjay Pinto (industrial relations and political economy, Cornell), Miranda Richmond Mouillot (translator, editor). Manuscript under contract with Le Seuil, Paris.

Ongoing (from 2015 on), Academic co-chair of the TED (Travail, entreprise, démocratie/Work, Business & Democracy) Research Unit inside the CriDIS Center, IACCHOS Institute, UCLouvain. Co-chair: Dr. Julien Charles. Monthly workshop with doctoral students and researchers from October to December, from February to May, annual day retreat in July.

Ongoing (from January 2005 onwards): Research partner, the Wage Indicator Foundation (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), University of Amsterdam (Kea Tijdens and Paulien Osse) through the US chapter at the Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School, Harvard University, co-directed by Richard Freeman http://www.wageindicator.org/

2002-2010: Member of the Research Project EUROCAP-CAPRIGHT coordinated by Prof. Robert Salais, Institutions and Historical Dynamics of Economics (IDHE), CNRS-Ecole nationale supérieure, Cachan (France), funded by the European Commission. Involved with Jean De Munck through two research projects (2 case studies of work restructuring at VW and Carrefour, and the organizing of two roundtables on Social and Civil Dialogue – 2007-2010).

2000-2001: Member of the Network coordinated by Prof. Robert Salais, Institutions and Historical Dynamics of Economics (IDHE), CNRS-Ecole nationale supérieure, Cachan (France), funded by the European Commission (GD 5 & GD 12), ‘Territory, Social dialogue and European actions for employment. The efficiency of the social dialogue through the analysis of its implementation’. Involved thanks to Jean De Munck.

Funding, Awards and Other Scientific Achievements

2025-2029: Excellence Chair WILL France 2030 established by the University of Lille to secure Ferreras’s collaboration around the research programme: Democratize, Decommodify, Decarbonize Labor and the Commons. Funding 500,000€

August 2024-September 2025 TRAIL (Trusted AI Labs) Institute, joining 5 Belgian universities UCLouvain, ULB, U. Namur, U. Mons, U. Liège, funding for AI and corporate governance research in the social sciences and ethics in AI research track. Funding to Ferreras: 80,500€ to hire a full-time research assistant (12 months)

January 2025: Book Award « Democratizing the Corporation. The Bicameral Firm, and Beyond » (New York City/London: Verso) : the William Foote Whyte and Kathleen King Whyte Book Prize awarded by the Kelso Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing, School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University

June 2024: Honorary Degree/Doctorat Honoris Causa in Industrial relations, Université Laval, Canada. Official announcement

May 2024: Book Award « Hé Patron ! Pour une révolution dans l’entreprise » among the 3 finalists of the Prix du livre La Tribune dans la catégorie Essai.

January 2022: Book Award « Firms as Political Entities. Saving Democracy through Economic Bicameralism » (New York City/Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) : Finalist of the William Foote Whyte and Kathleen King Whyte Book Prize awarded by the Kelso Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing, School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University

2021-2025: Belgium Federal Government BELSPO Research Fund (Pillar 3 Call 2020-21 Theme: A just transition towards a carbon-neutral society): “Bridging decarbonization and labour market in sustainability transitions” (LAMARTRA), Coordinator: Tom Bauler (ULBruxelles).

2020-2021: Collaborative Research with SMart.II (Brussels) on tackling the critical challenges highlighted through the research report issued as output of the 2017-2018 research project (Facing the challenges of contemporary work and work organization in a users’ cooperative). Working in team with Dr. Julien Charles, sociologist.

2017: Bernheim Foundation Sponsorship for the PeaceJam training program, initiative of 14 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, in partnership with the 4 universities UCLouvain, ULB, KULeuven, VUB. Program offered on November 17-19, 2017 at UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, 150 participants.

2017-2018: Collaborative Research with SMart.I (Brussels) on facing the challenges of contemporary work and work organization in a users’ cooperative. Research coordinated by Isabelle Ferreras. Research team: Dr. Julien Charles, sociologist and Dr. Auriane Lamine, legal scholar.

2017: UCLouvain-Sciences Po, Paris-Thales Group Research Collaboration (Paris): on measuring the value of services. Isabelle Ferreras was the lead PI of the project with Pierre François (Professor at Sciences Po-Paris-CNRS). Hiring of a post-doc fellow, Hadrien Coutant.

2014: Finalist of the European Research Council Starting Grant Competition. With the proposal: ‘Firms as Political Entities’. Step 2 Presentation to Jury (SH2 Panel) on October 14, Brussels. FSR Seeds money offered by the university of Louvain to initiate the project

2014-2016: Wage Indicator online survey, special research module on institutions of ownership and control from the employee’s perspectives, run in 14 countries. Research project in partnership with Richard Freeman (Harvard) and Sanjay Pinto (Columbia).

October 2013: Book Award « Gouverner le capitalisme ? » (PUF, 2012) among the three finalists of the book award: Prix du Livre RH/Le Monde/Sciences Po/Syntec

2008-2012: Wage Indicator online survey, special research module ran in 10 countries (U.S.A., UK, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Argentina, Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands). Ferreras’ work received the data-collecting support of The Wage Indicator Foundation (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) of the University of Amsterdam (Kea Tijdens and Paulien Osse) through the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard University.

July 2010: funding awarded by the Belgian National Fund For Scientific Research (F.N.R.S.) for translation and statistical assistance with the research project What is Work?

October 2008: Book Award « Critique politique du travail » (Presses de Sciences Po, 2007) among the three finalists of the book award: Prix du Livre RH/Le Monde/Sciences Po/Syntec

September 2005-June 2010: CAPRIGHT, coordinated by the Institutions and Historical Dynamics of Economics (IDHE), CNRS-Ecole nationale supérieure, Cachan (France), funded by the European FP6. Worked with Prof. Jean De Munck (PI) in two Work Packages (two case studies of firm restructuring at VW and Carrefour, hiring and management of two researchers, and coordination of two roundtables on Social and Civil Dialogue – 2007-2010)

September 2004-2009: Harvard Labor and Worklife Program, launch of the US version of the Wage Indicator survey (www.PayWizard.org), Academic PI: prof. Richard Freeman, Ferreras was the project manager (creation and maintenance of website, coordination of work performed by one staff member based in Boston, the IT staff in Amsterdam and a public relations-person based in Arizona)

January-February 2005: Travel Award for a visiting stay (6 months) at the Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School, Harvard University offered by the National Fund for Scientific Research (F.N.R.S.)

September 2004-February 2005: Wertheim Fellow (honorary), Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School, Harvard University

May 2004: Travel Award for a visiting stay (12 months) at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University, offered by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (F.N.R.S.)

2003-04: Honorary Fellowship, Belgian American Educational Foundation (B.A.E.F.)

October 2002: Travel Award for a 7-month visiting stay at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from the National Fund for Scientific Research (F.N.R.S.)

June 2000: Travel Award for a 4-month research stay at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the French-speaking Community of Belgium Fellowship competition for stay abroad

May 1998: Chevening Award (full scholarship) awarded by the British Council and the United Kingdom Embassy to Belgium for a year of study at the University of Oxford. (Not spent)