News

PPE students win the NATO HQ x WMGIC Disinformation Challenge

The events of the past years should have been a clear wake-up call to everyone: Disinformation and hybrid wars are amongst the most dangerous threats that liberal societies face in our time. Like many, NATO is looking to improve its strategies to meet such challenges. In October, they turned to over 400 students from universities across the globe to come up with innovative ideas to tackle disinformation campaigns. Bachelor students Jan Otte, Ivo Andriessen and Thomas Swelheim from the Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) programme, developed a proposal enhancing prebunking campaigns with the proven benefits of using pop cultural elements to inform vulnerable demographics before the disinformation damage has been done. After pitching to professionals within the cybersecurity and foreign affairs sector, the alliance chose the students of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam as the winners.

Project Embracing Diversity: experiences of first-generation Dutch-Moroccan and Dutch-Turkish students at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

VU Amsterdam is known as a diverse university and many students have a 'non-western' background. But the backgrounds of this diversity and the experiences of those involved have barely been investigated from a historical perspective. Until now. In September, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam launched an oral history project called Embracing Diversity, a project that focuses on the experiences of Dutch-Moroccan and Dutch-Turkish first-generation students at VU Amsterdam since the 1980s. The project is led by Norah Karrouche, lecturer at VU Amsterdam, and specialized in the (remembrance) culture of North African communities in Europe and Ab Flipse, university historian of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Decolonise the art curriculum in secondary education

The transfer of students with a bicultural background to art studies in HBO (higher professional education) and university leaves much to be desired. In October, the symposium Decolonise the art curriculum in secondary education took place at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, a first step into researching how more groups of students can identify with art education. For this purpose, researchers from VU Amsterdam and lecturers and representatives of the teacher training programmes and art education were brought together. A high turnout, registration that had to be stopped due to excessive interest, and heated discussions during the meeting showed great involvement in this subject. The research is led by Gaila Jehoel, coordinator Humanities Programme VU Pre-University College.

Bachelor Greek and Latin Language and Culture again top programme

Programme director Rutger Allan:

“In the Greek and Latin Language and Culture programme, we pay a great deal of attention to the enormous cultural diversity of the ancient world and we show that studying antiquity can help to understand the world today.”

In the Keuzegids Universiteiten 2023, six VU Bachelor's programmes will receive the 'Top Programme' quality seal, including the Bachelor's in Greek and Latin Language and Culture. This makes the programme once again one of the best in the Netherlands. In particular, good scores are given in terms of content, instructors and testing. But the students also rate atmosphere as above average. The bachelor’s programmes Literature and Society and Philosophy, and Politics and Economics (PPE), also from the Faculty of Humanities, both score above average.

Invitation to Christmas edition of the imaginary Sjaalman papers

Who doesn't know the ‘Pak van Sjaalman’; the list of subjects in Multatuli's Max Havelaar that range from the right of revolt in the face of oppression to the beauty of the women in Nîmes and Arles. Sometimes the witty comment of Droogstoppel is added: 'About prostitution in marriage (this is a scandalous piece)'. René van Woudenberg and Jacqueline Bel organize monthly Sjaalman lectures, during which experts from different disciplines discuss a specific topic from the ‘Pak’. On December 20th, there is a special Christmas edition. Afterwards, the Faculty of Humanities Christmas drinks will take place. You are welcome!

Philosophy of The Arts lunch reading group

René van Woudenberg and Charlotte Rulkens are hosting a bi-weekly lunch reading group. In 12 meetings they jointly discuss Gordon Graham’s Philosophy of The Arts: An Introduction to Aesthetics (third edition, 2005). The reading takes place every other Wednesday from 12:00 pm to no later than 12:45 pm in the Main Building of VU Amsterdam, 11-A-46. The next session (about chapter 4) will be on 21 December. Everyone with an interest can join. Please e-mail Charlotte Rulkens for details and to be included in the mailing list at c.c.s.rulkens@vu.nl.

magazine for humanities alumni december 2022