‘Culture change takes time,’ said Vice-Rector Hester Bijl at the closing panel of the University’s Diversity Symposium on 26 January. She talked about the road to a diverse and inclusive university. The symposium provided plenty of concrete examples of small steps that can already be taken.

Archaeological finds off the coast of Java, Indonesia provide insight into the world of Homo erectus, 140,000 years ago. Skull fragments and other fossil remains provide a unique picture of how and where these early humans lived, says Leiden archaeologist Harold Berghuis.

Alumnus Anoma van der Veere did Japanese studies and talks in this interview about his studies in Leiden and his work as a researcher at the Leiden Asia Centre and as Japanese correspondent in Tokyo.

Arts and culture

Debate, Haags Actualiteitencollege

Yung Lin’s research explores how citizens in Taiwan and Southeast Asia actively shape public diplomacy, build trust across cultures, and address identity-based conflicts, highlighting the shift from government-led to citizen-centred diplomacy.

At the Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), scholars have been studying the Indian subcontinent with attention and expertise for more than 100 years. This part of South Asia is an economic giant with a population of over two billion. Nira Wickramasinghe, Professor of Modern South Asian Studies,…

Life returned to something resembling normal after Covid but other crises soon took its place. These great challenges are also being felt at the University and our researchers are working on solutions. The nitrogen crisis, problems with young people’s services and an increasingly urgent climate crisis:…

Conference, workshop

Lecture, Com(parative) Syn(tax) Series

In a newly published article in East Asia Forum (Australian National University), Salvador Santino Regilme, reflects on the global significance of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Research

Lecture, Boekpresentatie

Lodewijk Govaerts has been appointed by Ingrid van Engelshoven, caretaker Minister of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), as a member of the Board of Governors of Leiden University.

For too long the Dutch collective memory has judged the Jewish Council too harshly. This perspective needs to be adjusted, Bart van der Boom argues in his new book ‘De politiek van het kleinste kwaad’ (lit. ‘The Politics of the Lesser Evil’).

Lecture, Tuesday Talk

How do you ensure that students still learn anything when they can have AI write an entire thesis in a matter of minutes? Staff members from the Faculty of Humanities discussed this and other questions during a special AI symposium. ‘Writing and independent thinking are crucial, especially in our fi…

Looking for a different approach in the ongoing discussions on the ethereal matter of Romanisation, Ana Zora Maspoli joined Miguel John Versluys’ research group as a postdoc guest researcher. While she has been active in our Faculty since February 2022, you may not have met her yet due to the Covid-19…

Over the coming years, LUCL will be collaborating on the development of Macroscope, a new scientific infrastructure that maps social change at the population level. Professors Gijsbert Rutten, Stephan Raaijmakers and Carole Tiberius tell us more about the project.

University Lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe provided commentary in several media outlets on the situation in Venezuela.

University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe comments on France24 on controversial USA ambassadors in Europe, all appointed by Trump.

Associate professor Salvador Santino Regilme was interviewed by NPR about Trump’s soft power.

University lecturer interviewed No King’s movement leader Hunter Dunn for the Foreign Policy Centre.

Middle East Studies Lecture

Associate professor Salvador Santino Regilme commented in several international media on the situation in Venezuela.

In an article for The Conversation, University Lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe comments on the recent elections in the United States and what they mean for President Donald Trump’s position.

The White House has recently released its national security strategy. University Lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe explains in The Conversation what we can learn from the document.

In an article for East Asia Forum, University Lecturer Vincent Chang sheds light on China’s ambition to globalise its pantheon of national heroes.

Postdoc Intigam Mamedov comments in The Conversation on the recent peace talks between Russia and the USA regarding the war in Ukraine.

University Lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe explains on France 24 how alleged fraud in Minnesota is being used by Trump as an argument to target Somalis.

University Lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe commented on the BBC regarding Donald Trump’s plans to exclude South Africa from the G20.

French newspaper Libération has interviewed university lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe about the war in Iran.

University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe comments in an article on the Conversation on Trump’s attack on Iran.

Professor Wolff discusses the EU migration policy on Global Europe.

University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe comments in the Sydney Morning Herald on the possibility the USA have fewer munitions available for other conflict zones, such as Ukraine.

University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe comments on The Conversation on Trump’s statement that the war in Iran will end ‘very soon’.

Associate Professor Salvador Santino Regilme discusses the recent launch of the Board for Peace by President Donald Trump in the Portuguese newspaper Expresso.

University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe wrote an article for The Conversation on how US presidents shift controversial actions abroad to circumvent domestic constraints.

University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe commented on France24 on Donald Trump’s false claims related to the war in Iran.

Associate professor Salvador Santino Regilme comments on Al Jazeera on the state visit of King Charles to the United States.