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My research focuses on the work practices employed in the governance of public challenges. I have studied the practices of civil servants, police officers and intermediaries (we have also called them exemplary practitioners and best persons). In addition, I have studied storytelling in local government and at the police. Furthermore, I specialize in interpretive analyses, narrative and frame analysis in particular, and in ethnographic fieldwork. I have published about my research and about methods in a broad range of journals across the social sciences, including Public Administration Review; The American Review of Public Administration; Organization Studies; The British Journal of Criminology; Local Government Studies; Planning Theory; and Media, Culture & Society.  

Currently, I am an Associate Professor and Head of Research of the department of Public Law & Governance (Tilburg Law School).

I studied Cultural Anthropology at Utrecht University. After that, I worked as a consultant for Cap Gemini from (1999-2002). Then, Erasmus University Rotterdam hired me to study governance culture (PhD). In January 2008 I moved to Tilburg University. In 2012, I was one of the organizers of the 7th conference for Interpretive Policy Analysis (IPA, 300+ participants). I also acted as the research coordinator and later as a member of the management team my department (2014-2019).    

Over the last years, I have been a project leader on various projects, including an international research project on smart urban intermediaries and on civil servants work practices. 

In the Public Administration Bachelor I teach a course in Organization Science. The rest of my teaching focuses on doing (qualitative) research. I teach a beginner’s course in Qualitative methods for the Public Administration bachelor students and an advanced course in qualitative analyses for the join Research Master in Public Administration and Organisational Science. I am also co-teaching a course on conducting research for the Netherlands Institute of Governance (PhD candidates from political science and public administration). Finally, I am involved in methods courses for PhD candidates at the Tilburg Law School.  

Merlijn van Hulst worked as a consultant for Cap Gemini from 1999 untill 2002. In 2002 he was hired by the Erasmus University Rotterdam. In January 2008 he received his PhD and started to work at the Tilburg School of Politics and Public Administration (TSPPA). His general interest is in sense and meaning making in politics, policy making and public administration. He specializes in narrative analysis. He has been involved in a variety of research projects that focus on local governance and urban neighbourhoods. In 2012, Merlijn van Hulst was one of the organizers of the 7th conference for Interpretive Policy Analysis (IPA) which took place in Tilburg (300+ participants). At the moment his focus is on the police force and people who make a difference. He also acts as the research coordinator of the Department of Politics and Public Administration and he is part of the management team of that department.

Merlijn van Hulst's general interest is in working practices and cultures in the public domain. He specializes in narrative analysis. He has been involved in a variety of research projects that focus on local governance and has also studied practitioners in urban neighbourhoods. In addition, he studies the Dutch police force.