IE University Assistant Professor Vicente Valentim Receives the A.SK Bright Mind Award for Social Science
Vicente Valentim’s work on how social norms shape political behavior has been recognized by WZB as one of the most significant recent contributions to social science.
Vicente Valentim, Assistant Professor of Political Science at IE University, has been awarded the prestigious A.SK Bright Mind Award by the WZB Berlin Social Science Center for his research on how social norms influence political behavior and contribute to the normalization of radical political ideologies in democracies.
Specifically, his research examines what citizens consider acceptable in democracies, and the role of social norms in the rise of anti-democratic and extremist acts and expressions. He is the author of the book “The Normalization of the Radical Right: A Norms Theory of Political Supply and Demand,” published by Oxford University Press in 2024.
Vicente Valentim joined IE University as an Assistant Professor in 2024. Previously, he earned his Ph.D. from the European University Institute in 2021 and was a postdoctoral fellow at Nuffield College, University of Oxford, from 2021 to 2024. He has also held visiting positions at Stanford University, the Juan March Institute, and CSIC-IPP.
"It is a tremendous honor to receive this award, whose list of previous winners includes many of my favorite scholars. Given the current political climate, I see this award as a form of encouragement to all those who are trying to understand and combat the illiberal and anti-democratic tendencies that are gaining momentum around the world", said Vicente Valentim.
"This recognition highlights our commitment to research that not only advances academic knowledge but also addresses pressing global challenges. At IE University, we foster scholarship that drives positive change in our societies", said Juan Santaló, Vice-Rector of Faculty & Research of IE University.
Established in 2007, the A.SK. Social Science Award honors researchers in the social sciences who have made significant contributions to the analysis of political and economic reforms. Previous winners include scholars such as Paul Collier, Esther Duflo, and Daron Acemoğlu.