The joy of interdisciplinary collaboration! Yes, there are barriers and challenges, but in setting up the Centre for Unusual Collaborations (CUCo) the main surprising outcomes were joy, a sense of meaning and creativity. We coined this ‘collateral happiness’.
With due pride we share: new paper out now! Recounting the journey of the first two years of the Centre for Unusual Collaborations; its origins, lessons learned and recommendations for universities and funders to better support unusual collaborations.
The paper elaborates on three roadblocks to funding inter- and transdisciplinary research, as well as how these were overcome – or not! The three roadblocks are:
1) Rewards and recognition – and this remains a major hurdle to this day!
2) Funding trust-building and interdisciplinary collaboration
3) Competencies, tools and approaches
Congratulations to all the authors! And great thanks to Springer Nature Group Humanities and Social Sciences Communications for the smooth reviewing and editorial process.
View the publication here
Video series | Han Wiskerke: Leading RSO with passion and insight into the complexities of agriculture and rural development.
Han Wiskerke, Professor and Chair of the Rural Sociology Group, shares his passion for understanding the dynamics of agriculture, rural development, and food provisioning. Discover how his leadership and research are making a difference in addressing contemporary challenges like farmer protests.
“As Chair of the Rural Sociology Group since 2004, I’ve witnessed the critical importance of understanding the dynamics of agriculture, rural development, and food provisioning. Our research not only sheds light on issues like farmer protests but also offers solutions for the future. Leading a team of passionate individuals who thrive collectively is what drives me every day.”
Watch more “Rural Sociology: Passionate@Work” videos here.
Global Justice and the Politics of Water and Life in Palestine
Seminar “Global Justice and the Politics of Water and Life in Palestine”.
September 3, 16.00-17.30
16.00 Opening and Welcome. Joost Jongerden, Associate Professor at Rural Sociology, WUR
16.10 Presentation by Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories: “Universities and International Law: Global Justice Begins at Home”
16.35 Presentation by Lama Abdul Samad, Oxfam International: “Water War Crime: How Israel has weaponised water in its military campaign on Gaza”
17.00 Q&A. Moderation by Lucie Sovova (on location), Assistant Professor at Rural Sociology, WUR, and Jessica Duncan (on-line), Associate Professor at Rural Sociology, WUR
17.20 Closing words by Amal Ahmad, Assistant Professor at Development Economics, WUR
17.30 Closure
Video series | Georgia Diamanti: Contributing to inclusive agricultural policies through collaborative research.
Georgia Diamanti, PhD candidate at the Rural Sociology Group, shares her experience working on the SWIFT project, focusing on the impact of European agricultural policies on women farmers and the importance of collaborative, bottom-up approaches.
“As a PhD candidate at the Rural Sociology Group, I’m proud to be part of the SWIFT project, working with diverse stakeholders to create more inclusive agricultural policies in Europe. This collaborative approach inspires me, knowing that even small contributions can be part of a larger transformation.”
Find out more about the SWIFT project here.
Sociale rechtvaardigheid begrijpen vanuit ‘verbranding’: jonge mannen op het platteland
Jolien Klok, onderzoeker bij de vakgroep Rurale Sociologie, Wageningen Universiteit
Het publieke debat rondom ‘de kloof tussen stad en platteland’ lijkt even bedaard, terwijl we – de één rijkhalzender dan de ander – wachten tot het nieuwe kabinet zijn plannen uitwerkt en daarin kleur zal geven aan het Nederlandse platteland. Hoewel er vanuit de wetenschap geluiden klinken dat het al teveel herhalen van een veronderstelde ‘kloof’ haar reproductie alleen maar zal doen toenemen (Huijsmans & Miltenburg, 2023; Van den Berg, 2023), als een self-fulfillingprophecy, is het onmiskenbaar dat sociale ongelijkheid zich ruimtelijk manifesteert en met name op het platteland gevoeld wordt (Huijsmans, 2023; Van Vulpen, 2023).
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Rural Sociology Wageningen University 