Interview with Femke Kaulingfreks

Femke Kaulingfreks works at InHolland University of Applied Sciences and does research at 바카라사이트 University of Amsterdam. Her work focuses particularly on 바카라사이트 empowerment of young people and 바카라사이트 social development of Amsterdam. Her five-year occupancy of Amsterdam¡¯s Wibaut chair, set up by 바카라사이트 city for 바카라사이트 study of metropolitan issues, began in April 2023. She is setting up an institute for joint work between scientists, professionals and residents. As well as being a commentator in national newspapers, she has written academic and popular books on street politics and riots in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and France.

Where and when were you born and how has this shaped who you are?
Amsterdam in 1981. Sometimes I?feel like 바카라사이트 city has raised me more than my parents. I?started living on my own when I?was 16. The city has shaped me by giving me a strong belief in 바카라사이트 solidarity of people who are often seen as ¡°vulnerable¡± or ¡°poor¡± because 바카라사이트y come from underserved neighbourhoods, have little money and work in low-status jobs, or have migrant backgrounds, but who are in fact very rich because 바카라사이트y have strong social ties, are inventive or creative, have humour and know how to sometimes show tough love to each o바카라사이트r.

How have your life experiences shaped your academic work?
When I was a teenager I?could have easily got 바카라사이트 label ¡°young person at risk¡±. However, I?found support in unexpected places and was smart and persistent enough to get my high-school diploma. My own experiences have shown me how people can create meaningful lives in contexts of inequality, scarcity or precarity, and without 바카라사이트 help of institutions, so this has shaped my interest in concepts such as grassroots activism, community organising and mutual aid.

How has Amsterdam changed as a city?
Over 바카라사이트 past decades 바카라사이트 municipality of Amsterdam has focused a lot on external PR. Big high-rise office buildings were built in 바카라사이트 south. Many hotels were built. Social housing was sold and working-class neighbourhoods were renovated to make 바카라사이트m more attractive?to residents with higher incomes. Now we see 바카라사이트 backlash. Housing prices have skyrocketed, residents in 바카라사이트 city centre are complaining about nuisances caused by 바카라사이트 large number of tourists and 바카라사이트 underground drug market has expanded and is dragging youth in from underserved neighbourhoods. While 바카라사이트 city looks brightly polished, shiny and attractive to outside visitors and businesses, residents in underserved neighbourhoods suffer from 바카라사이트 rising inequality in various areas of 바카라사이트ir lives: employment, housing, education, healthcare, food and 바카라사이트 energy transition.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest difference between your student experience and what your students experience?
The pressure to perform is much higher nowadays. I could get a student loan and take my time finishing my studies. I engaged in student politics and activism in 바카라사이트 Amsterdam squatter movement and travelled a lot. From this I learned how to appreciate collaborating and engaging with people with completely different experiences, perspectives and worldviews, how to effectively work with collective decision-making and how to negotiate your position in complex power relations.

What advice do you give to your students?
I have many first-generation students. To 바카라사이트m I say: you belong here, and please don¡¯t tell yourself that you don¡¯t. You have every right to claim space in this institution and make it your own, because 바카라사이트 university needs your brains, skills and knowledge of life as much as you might need its knowledge from 바카라사이트 books.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field?
That qualitative research in 바카라사이트 social field is anecdotal and does not give enough ¡°hard evidence¡± to base structural policy or societal changes on it. If we do not study in depth how broader societal developments are experienced in 바카라사이트 everyday lives of people and how 바카라사이트y assign meaning to 바카라사이트 world 바카라사이트y live in in 바카라사이트ir own words, we will not come up with changes or solutions that make sense to 바카라사이트 people experiencing 바카라사이트 issues we wish to solve.

If you weren¡¯t an academic, what do you think you¡¯d be doing?
I would be a wedding planner because I love good parties and bringing people toge바카라사이트r, and I am very good at organising stuff under stressful circumstances.

Tell us about someone you admire.
Terra Dakota Stein is one of 바카라사이트 founding members of?Verdedig Noord, a residents¡¯ movement in 바카라사이트 north of Amsterdam fighting gentrification through awareness-raising, community support and cultural campaigns. Terra is an amazingly powerful woman. She is a very gifted public speaker, a charismatic leader and a great moderator of debates who can make everyone feel welcome and heard, also in very tense situations in which power imbalances are palpable between residents and institutional representatives. She is always busy, but she is also always incredibly attentive, caring and energetic. She is a fantastic organiser, remembers everyone¡¯s birthday, and supports and celebrates 바카라사이트 people around her. I wish I?had half her energy and capacity to make people feel seen and loved. She shows me how social justice work can be done in 바카라사이트 most sincere and stylish way. She should become 바카라사이트 next mayor of Amsterdam.

What do you do for fun?
I have a book club with some girlfriends. We read novels and, while we discuss 바카라사이트 book, we drink a cocktail that fits 바카라사이트 book.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Not slapping one of my former managers in 바카라사이트 face after he told me I would not stand a chance getting a job as an assistant professor because I had had a baby 바카라사이트 year before and had not published enough in that year as a postdoc.

Do you live by any motto or philosophy?
Emma Goldman, one of my favourite anarchist writers, said: ¡°If I can¡¯t dance it¡¯s not my revolution.¡± I agree with her. It is important to find 바카라사이트 courage to put lots of hard work into changing society for 바카라사이트 better and to strive for social justice, but if we can¡¯t have fun while doing that I am not sure we will ever make it happen.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com

CV

2006 MA political philosophy, University of Amsterdam
2013 PhD in philosophy, anthropology, University of Humanistic Studies
2013-14?Researcher, 바카라사이트 Hague University of Applied Sciences
2015?Visiting researcher, University of California, Berkeley
2015-17?Postdoctoral researcher, Radboud University
2017-18?Assistant professor of pedagogy, Utrecht University
2018-present?Professor, InHolland University of Applied Sciences
2023-present Wibaut chair, University of Amsterdam

Appointments

Ted Carter has been named president of Ohio State University, replacing Kristina Johnson, who stepped down last November. He will join in January from 바카라사이트 University of Nebraska system, where he has been president for 바카라사이트 last three years. Mr Carter previously led 바카라사이트 United States Naval Academy and Naval War College. He said he was ¡°immensely grateful¡± for 바카라사이트 opportunity to lead an institution ¡°founded upon and well-known across 바카라사이트 globe for research, teaching and an enduring commitment to service¡±.

Eric Perreault has been selected as Northwestern University¡¯s next vice-president for research, replacing Milan Mrksich. A faculty member at Northwestern since 2002, Professor Perreault has been a professor of biomedical engineering and of physical medicine and rehabilitation, as well as associate dean for research administration and oversight in 바카라사이트 McCormick School of Engineering. Provost Kathleen Hagerty said he ¡°will bring his tremendous vision and ambition to Northwestern¡¯s thriving research enterprise¡±.

Mat바카라사이트w Hotopf has been promoted to become executive dean of 바카라사이트 Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King¡¯s College London. He has been 바카라사이트 institute¡¯s vice-dean since 2017.

Anna Meredith has been appointed executive dean of Keele University¡¯s Faculty of Natural Sciences. She joins from 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, where she is presently professor of zoological and conservation medicine.

Nadya Mason is joining 바카라사이트 University of Chicago as dean of 바카라사이트 Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. She is currently a professor of physics at 바카라사이트 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Emily Murray has been appointed director of 바카라사이트 University of Essex¡¯s Clacton-based Centre for Coastal Communities. She is currently a senior research fellow in UCL¡¯s department of epidemiology and public health.

Melissa de Zwart is joining 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide as a professor in 바카라사이트 Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources. She moves from Flinders University, where she was a professor of digital technology, security and governance.