“Social scientists and humanities scholars know better than anyone that beneath every field concerned with people lie age-old layers of literature and insight about freedom.”
Read the foreword by Gregor Halff, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
Coverstory
That Ewoud Kieft would go on to earn a PhD or be nominated for the AKO Literature Prize and the Libris History Prize did not seem likely until the final year of his history studies. He was a typical “just passing with sixes” student who was more often absent than present. That changed when he managed to get an internship at NIOD and discovered that he loved writing. He now has many publications, books and essays to his name. They often revolve around one question: why do people radicalise, and how can an open, democratic society best respond
Read the interview with Ewoud Kieft
Week in pictures
Anna de Wit (b. 1983) studied archaeology at VU Amsterdam and works at the National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) in Leiden as an exhibition project leader. She enjoys engaging with antiquity in a broad sense in her work, from the Ice Age to the late Middle Ages. She regularly tries to link antiquity to important contemporary topics, such as reception history, democracy and diversity.
Have a look at Anna’s workweek
Interview
“Only three percent of demonstrations involve incidents. That figure has remained stable for years. But the number of demonstrations has skyrocketed, increasing by no less than 311% between 2017 and 2022. So, while the percentage hasn't changed, three percent of 6,000 demonstrations still means a significant rise in the absolute number of protests that get out of hand.”
Read the interview with professor of Social Change and Conflict Jacquelien van Stekelenburgnterview
Absolute World Leaders
They rank among the absolute world leaders- the social scientists and humanities scholars of the SOCION consortium. That’s why, last year, they received a €30 million grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) for research into social cohesion—"the fabric of our society"— with the central question being how we can preserve and even strengthen this vital social glue in turbulent times.
Read the interview with Philip Robichaud
There's plenty more in idea
“Where there is room for play, imagination takes root.” Read the Abraham Kuyper Lecture by Désanne van Brederode and more in idea #6.
Editorial team
idea is a semi-annual publication of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. The next edition will be published in December 2025.
Ask the editors: humanities.idea@vu.nl