Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research

02/09/2026

↔️ 𝗧𝗶𝗸𝗧𝗼𝗸, 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗚𝗣𝗧: 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗴𝗼?

‘𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘢 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘈𝘮𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘮’𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴'

Whether visitors queue for viral food spots, seek out Instagrammable cafés, follow Google Maps reviews or ask ChatGPT where to go, increasingly their experience of the city is shaped by digital platforms.

Professor of Urban Geography Justus Uitermark studies how platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Google Maps and AI tools influence where people go, and which places and businesses become visible.

His research shows striking differences. TikTok can turn a single snack bar into a tourist hotspot, Instagram favours photogenic places, while ChatGPT has a strong preference for museums: almost 80% of simulated users in one study were recommended the Rijksmuseum.

But the impact goes beyond tourists’ itineraries. Online visibility increasingly requires businesses to invest significant time and money, leading Uitermark to describe digital platforms as a new form of “virtual real estate”.

And as algorithms guide more of our choices, there may be something else we lose along the way: the chance to get lost and discover a city by accident.

🔗 Read the full article: https://aissr.uva.nl/shared/faculteiten/en/faculteit-der-maatschappij-en-gedragswetenschappen/news/2026/09/how-digital-platforms-are-changing-tourism-in-amsterdam.html?origin=%2ByxIdW4bRwCjN8rZP%2BdJdA

16/07/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀

🎉 Abbey Steele, Jessica Soedirgo, and Ursula Daxecker have been awarded the 𝘋𝘐𝘝𝘪𝘕𝘌 𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 (𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦).

Funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the network brings together five leading universities in Amsterdam, Essex, Milan, Madrid and Uppsala to train a new generation of researchers studying political violence in democratic societies.

While democracies are often seen as peaceful and resilient, they continue to face challenges such as social unrest, extremist mobilisation and political violence. Through interdisciplinary training and collaborative research, the network will examine how democratic institutions respond to - and shape - these dynamics. As one of the five partner institutions, the AISSR will welcome two PhD candidates in 2027.

🎉 We also congratulate the REPAIR team, led by economic anthropologist Felix Stein, on receiving the AISSR's first European Research Council (ERC) 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵.

REPAIR explores reparations for global challenges such as climate change, infectious diseases, and environmental harm. This new Proof of Concept grant supports the translation of frontier research into societal impact, and will fund the launch of the so-called Centre of Reparative Finance (CRF). Building on the REPAIR project, the CRF will provide accessible knowledge and practical guidance on reparations and compensation finance for policymakers, organisations and the wider public.

Congratulations to all! 👏

🔗 https://aissr.uva.nl/content/news/2026/07/aissr-conflict-researchers-awarded-the-divine-doctoral-network.html?origin=%2ByxIdW4bRwCjN8rZP%2BdJdA

15/07/2026

🎉 Congratulations and welcome to Doutje Lettinga, who has been appointed Professor by Special Appointment of Urban Dynamics of Rights and Justice at the University of Amsterdam / Universiteit van Amsterdam, within our Cultural Sociology programme group.

Doutje's research explores how the rule of law and human rights take shape in everyday urban life. Her work focuses on how the rights of vulnerable groups can be better protected and on the vital role that civil society, community organisations and local governments play in advancing justice.

💬 '𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘉𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥.'

Her professorship is combined with her role as Chief Science Officer for the Gemeente Amsterdam, where she builds bridges between research, policy and practice. In this role, she contributes to a strong urban knowledge infrastructure, evidence-informed policymaking, and integrated solutions to complex urban challenges.

👏 Congratulations, Doutje, on this well-deserved appointment!

🔗 Read more: https://aissr.uva.nl/shared/faculteiten/en/faculteit-der-maatschappij-en-gedragswetenschappen/news/2026/06/professorial-appointment-doutje-lettinga.html?origin=%2ByxIdW4bRwCjN8rZP%2BdJdA

13/07/2026

🎉 Congratulations and welcome to Margreet Zwarteveen, who has been appointed Professor of Transformative Water Governance at the University of Amsterdam / Universiteit van Amsterdam and our AISSR programma group Governance & Inclusive Development.

💧 With more than three decades of internationally recognised research on water governance, environmental justice and political ecology, Margreet's work explores how we can rethink our relationship with water to create more just, sustainable and biodiverse futures. Before taking up this chair, she served as Professor of Water Governance at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and has led groundbreaking research on the links between water, power, politics and gender.

💬 '𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 – 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘵.'

Building on her internationally recognised research, including the European Research Council-funded AQUIVERSE project, Margreet will continue to investigate how transformative approaches to water governance can inspire broader societal change.

Congratulations, Margreet, on this well-deserved appointment! 👏

🔗 Read more: https://aissr.uva.nl/shared/faculteiten/en/faculteit-der-maatschappij-en-gedragswetenschappen/news/2026/07/professorial-appointment-margreet-zwarteveen.html?origin=%2ByxIdW4bRwCjN8rZP%2BdJdA

10/07/2026

Today, we celebrate a series of prestigious NWO (Dutch Research Council) Open Competition SSH-XL grants awarded to AISSR researchers and collaborators! The programme funds ambitious, curiosity-driven research in the social sciences and humanities, with grants of up to €800,000 per project.

🎉 Christian Bröer received funding for 'Making Time: How Couples Navigate Time, Relationships, and Health After the First Child', exploring how new parents balance time, care, relationships and wellbeing in everyday family life.

🎉 Marlies Glasius was awarded funding for 'Why Are the Super-Rich So Tax Averse?', investigating why the super-rich avoid taxes and how this shapes inequality, public finances and trust in democratic institutions.

🎉 Rosa Sanchez, together with Carolin Ischen (Communication science), received funding for 'The Politics of Emotions in the Age of Affective Machines', examining how emotion-sensitive generative AI is transforming policymaking and what this means for democratic decision-making.

👏 We also congratulate Femke Kaulingfreks, who is involved in the awarded project 'Building Bridges Between Different Classes, Races, and Ages in Collaborations to Improve the Liveability of Underserved Urban Areas', led by Judi Mesman (Leiden University), and Alyt Damstra, who will contribute to Rens Vliegenthart's project 'Democracy in the Feed: Tracing the Impact of Social Media on Democratic Attitudes'.

Congratulations to all researchers and teams involved!

🔗 https://aissr.uva.nl/content/news/2026/07/nwo-grants-awarded-to-six-aissr-researchers.html?origin=%2ByxIdW4bRwCjN8rZP%2BdJdA

08/07/2026

📣 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗵𝗗 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲: 𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗵𝗗 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺'𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀

We are excited to announce the launch of a new four-year PhD programme focused on some of the most pressing challenges facing Amsterdam. In close collaboration with the City of Amsterdam, we are recruiting eight PhD candidates to conduct research that connects academic knowledge with real-world challenges facing the city.

🔗 Curious about this new Amsterdam PhD Programme? Read our interview with Doutje Lettinga, Chief Science Officer at the Gemeente Amsterdam (City of Amsterdam) and AISSR academic director Justus Uitermark, where they share their vision for the programme, what they are looking for in prospective candidates, and the impact these PhD projects can have on Amsterdam: https://aissr.uva.nl/content/news/2026/06/introducing-the-amsterdam-programme-a-conversation-with-justus-uitermark-and-doutje-lettinga.html?origin=%2ByxIdW4bRwCjN8rZP%2BdJdA

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀? 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:

▪️PhD Position Urban Utopias and Urban Policy in Amsterdam: https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/phd-position-urban-utopias-and-urban-policy-in-amsterdam-netherlands-15302

▪️PhD Position Navigating Labour and Housing Precarity in Amsterdam: https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/phd-position-navigating-labour-and-housing-precarity-in-amsterdam-netherlands-15304

▪️Two PhD Positions in Anthropology on Urban Issues in Amsterdam: https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/two-phd-positions-in-anthropology-on-urban-issues-in-amsterdam-netherlands-15303

▪️PhD Position Negotiating Democracy in Amsterdam: https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/phd-position-negotiating-democracy-in-amsterdam-netherlands-15306

▪️PhD Position Strategizing for the Green Transition in Amsterdam: https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/phd-position-strategising-for-the-green-transition-in-amsterdam-netherlands-15305

▪️PhD Position The Rule of Law from Below: https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/phd-position-the-rule-of-law-from-below-netherlands-15308

▪️PhD Position Local Democracy and Underrepresented Communities in Amsterdam: https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/phd-position-local-democracy-and-underrepresented-communities-in-amsterdam-netherlands-15307

𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘩.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝟭 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

23/06/2026

💡𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗨𝗟𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗰𝗞𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵

🧠 How can we improve our understanding of the lived experiences of intellectual disability across cultures?

🔦 In a new IMPULSE spotlight, we highlight the work of Patrick McKearney, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR) and University of Amsterdam.

Funded through an AISSR IMPULSE grant, his research examines the ways adult life with intellectual disability is shaped across cultures in the Global South, and the social structures that govern them.

The anthropologist argues that understanding how adult lives are shaped in practice in this region requires research that moves beyond Western frameworks, which often miss the specific complexities that govern life in the Global South and the lived experiences that come with it.

💬 ‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 — 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘥𝘢𝘺?’

Patrick’s project will take him to new fieldwork and collaborations in various communities in the Global South, the insights from which he intends to use to develop new conceptual and evidential grounding for how psychiatry, the WHO, and governments understand intellectual disability globally.

🔗 Read the full IMPULSE Spotlight article:

AISSR IMPULSE Spotlight: Patrick McKearney examines the lived experiences of intellectual disability in the global south and the intricate social structures that govern them

11/05/2026

📅 Join us on 2 June for the final AISSR Lecture of the 2025–2026 season: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿-𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 with political scientists and AISSR professors 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘂𝘀 & Ward Berenschot.

💰 Almost everywhere in the world, the super-rich have become dramatically wealthier over the past decades. But what does this mean for democracy? How do concentrated wealth and political power interact? And how can democratic institutions respond?

Drawing on examples from the United States, India, Indonesia, Russia, and Western Europe, Glasius and Berenschot explore how the super-rich shape politics, public debate, and democratic institutions, and what this means for the future of democracy worldwide.

After their lectures, they will engage in conversation and discussion with the audience.

📅 Tuesday 2 June 2026
🕞 15:30 – 17:00
📍 CREA Music Hall
🍷 Drinks & informal discussion from 17:00 – 18:00

𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴.

🎥 Please note: there will be no livestream available. A video recording will be published afterwards in the AISSR Lecture Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8roVYSOmToXQI0yeVqeV6equdqaks_EY

📝 Register now to join the lecture and conversation: https://aissr.uva.nl/content/events/2026/06/aissr-lecture-marlies-glasius--ward-berenschot.html?origin=KUHyM4f8RLeh6D4937fo2A

08/05/2026

🗨️ 'Those of us who want to fight on behalf of liberal and progressive values [...] must develop a new relationship with a world of emotions, feelings and affect.'

Over 250 researchers, students, teachers and staff joined us on 16 April for the AISSR Lecture 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜: 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Anthropologist 𝗔𝗿𝗷𝘂𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗶 - one of the world’s leading thinkers on globalization, culture, media, and the future of democracy - explored how artificial intelligence and digital technologies are reshaping emotion, politics, and democratic life.

What happens to democracy in a world increasingly mediated by algorithms? And can democratic imagination survive if emotion is treated as secondary to logic and data?

The lecture was followed by an aftertalk with futures anthropologist Roanne van Voorst and a lively Q&A with the audience.

🎥 Watch the full lecture and aftertalk here: https://lnkd.in/eXDnqs5Y