Agata Troost

Social research and theory

Hi! I’m a sociologist, working as an assistant professor in social inequality at Tilburg University. On this website you can find information about my current projects, links to my publications and a contact form (EN/PL/NL).

LinkedIn || Google Scholar

CURRENT RESEARCH themes

  • Housing affordability crisis and mental well-being (with Mark van Duijn; ESSPIN)
  • Social infrastructure and well-being (with Esther Bunk and Richard Rijnks; ESSPIN)
  • Social mobility and social infrastructure (with Mathieu Steijn)
  • Experiences of inequality in the UK and Poland (with Alicia Fortuin and Sander van Lanen; ESSPIN)
  • Social class schemes and class consciousness (with Jaap Nieuwenhuis and Jonathan Mijs)
  • Women’s political engagement and social class


phd thesis

The diverse pathways of social inequality transmission in the neighbourhood (available as a free pdf or as a book)

peer-reviewed publications

Troost, A. A., Manley, D.J., & van Ham, M. (2025). Do you see it how I see it? Differences in neighborhood perceptions explained by individuals’ socioeconomic characteristics and trust attitudes. Urban Geography, 1–21.

Troost, A. A., van Ham, M., & Manley, D.J. (2023). Neighbourhood effects on educational attainment. What matters more: Exposure to poverty or exposure to affluence? PLOS One, 18(3).

Troost, A.A., Janssen, H.J., & van Ham, M. (2022). Neighbourhood histories and educational attainment: The role of accumulation, duration, timing and sequencing of exposure to poverty. Urban Studies, 60(4).

Troost, A.A., van Ham, M., & Janssen, H.J. (2022). Modelling Neighbourhood Effects in Three Dutch Cities Controlling for Selection. Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy, 15(2).

Preprints

Troost, A.A. & van Leeuwen, M.H.D. War and Peace and INGOs.

Troost, A.A., & van Assen, M.A.L.M. Big data in sociological research: will they change the game? (MSc thesis)

reports

Booi, H., El Moussaoui, N., van Heerden, S., Steijn, M. & Troost, A. (2026). Sociale stijging en wooncarrières in Amsterdam Nieuw-West over de tijd: een systematische analyse van opgroeiende generaties sinds 1982. [Social mobility and housing careers in Amsterdam Nieuw-West over the years: a systematic analysis of growing-up generations since 1982.] Kenniscentrum Ongelijkheid

Broekhuizen, T., Koster, S. & Troost, A. (2024). Regional Brain Drain: Comparative Analysis of European Strategies for Talent Retention and Smart Specialization. Interreg Europe

Troost, A. (2024). Report investigating micro-level household inequalities in changing cities. ESSPIN WP2.4. deliverable report.

Jacobin nederland articles

Troost, A. (2024). Bezuinigingen in hoger onderwijs maken de universiteit nog mannelijker en elitairder. [Budget cuts in higher education make the universities even more male and elitist.] Jacobin Nederland

Troost, A. (2023). Van lifestyle naar klasse: Waarom een relationeel klassebegrip nodig is om ongelijkheid te begrijpen. [From lifestyle to class: Why a relational concept of class is necessary to understand inequality.] Jacobin Nederland

other publications

Troost, A. (2025). De echte ongelijkheid: Boekbespreking ‘De net-niet elite’. [The real inequality: Book review ‘De net-niet elite’.] Beleid en Maatschappij, 52(3), 274-277.

Nieuwenhuis, J., Mijs, J. & Troost, A. (2025). Opinie: Het Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau hanteert een dubieuze klassenindeling. [Opinion piece with a critique of an approach to social class in a report by the Netherlands Institute for Social Research.] De Volkskrant

Troost, A. (2024). Opiniestuk over bezuinigingen op hoger onderwijs en de kloof tussen de universiteiten en de samenleving. [Opinion piece about the budget cuts in higher education and the distance between the universities and society.] Trouw

Zienkiewicz, J., Troost, A. & van der Merwe, R.L. (2024). Waar zijn universiteiten goed voor? [Why do we need universities?] Joop

Custers, G., Bolt, G., van Gent, W., Hochstenbach, C., Kleinhans, R., van Lanen, S., van Liemt, I., Nieuwenhuis, J., Rath, J. & Troost, A. (2024). Bewoners van de kwetsbaarste wijken hebben niets aan kunstmatige sociale menging. [Inhabitants of vulnerable neighbourhoods do not benefit from artificial social mix.] De Volkskrant (also published in Sociale Vraagstukken)

Troost, A. (2020). Segregacja w miastach: błędne koła nierówności? [Urban segregation: vicious circles of inequality?] Równość

Troost, A. (2014). Wojny robotów: koniec pracy, który nie przyniesie odpoczynku? [Robot wars: the end of labour which won’t bring rest?] Res Publica Nowa

Troost, A. (2014). Moje pokolenie, czyli moi znajomi. [My generation, or more precisely my friends.] Res Publica Nowa

media

Wijken uit balans: hoe worden ze weer veilig en leefbaar? [Neighbourhoods out of balance: how can they become safe and livable again?], Movisie online talkshow episode (2024, in Dutch).


when i’m not doing research…

…I spend my time on literature, politics, films & TV, birdwatching, drawing, and “toy camera” photography