How do homeless people survive the coronavirus pandemic? How do refugee women from Yemen work for peace? How do local miners deal with large-scale mining companies in Colombia? Questions like these are central in our research programme “Mobilities, Belonging and Beliefs: Confronting Global Inequalities and Insecurities” (MOBB). The programme has no regional focus: the whole world is our 'field'.
Contributing answers to the questions of today's world is of the utmost importance to us. One way to to this is ‘applying anthropology’ to practice.
For example, the Active8-Planet project aims at a sustainable approach to health care facilities in the Netherlands. The Happy project in Bhutan contributes to that country's "Gross National Happiness" index through trainings in qualitative research methods. Through projects like these, we aim to strengthen the relationship between research and the non-academic world.