Research staff
Prof. Dr.
G.J.
(Jan)
Abbink
Geographic expertise: Ethiopia, Somalia, Northeast Africa
Jan Abbink is an anthropologist and carries out research on the history and cultures of the Horn of Africa (Northeast Africa), particularly Ethiopia.
Dr.
A.
(Akinyinka)
Akinyoade
Geographic expertise: Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria
Akinyinka Akinyoade's research activities are on population health and development, with special attention on fertility dynamics in West Africa.
Prof. Dr.
W.E.A.
(Wouter)
van
Beek
Geographic expertise: Cameroon, Mali, Namibia, South Africa
Wouter van Beek is an anthropologist whose main thematic interests are religion, cultural ecology and tourism.
Dr.
I.
(Inge)
Brinkman
Geographic expertise: Angola, Kenya
Inge Brinkman has been attached to the African Studies Centre since April 2008 while she carries out research into communication technologies and social relations in Angola.
Prof. Dr.
M.E.
(Mirjam)
de
Bruijn
Geographic expertise: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, Sahel
Mirjam de Bruijn is an anthropologist whose work has a clearly interdisciplinary character. She has done fieldwork in Cameroon, Chad and Mali and an important theme throughout is how people manage risk (drought, war, etc.) in both rural and urban areas.
Dr.
M.
(Marleen)
Dekker
Geographic expertise: Ethiopia, Togo, Zimbabwe
Marleen Dekker is a development economist and human geographer.
Prof. Dr.
A.J.
(Ton)
Dietz
Geographic expertise: Ghana, Kenya
Prof. Ton Dietz has been Director of the African Studies Centre since 1 May 2010 and is also Professor of the Study of African Development at Leiden University.
Prof. Dr.
J.W.M.
(Han)
van
Dijk
Geographic expertise: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger
Han van Dijk is an anthropologist. Having studied forestry, his research now focuses on political decentralization, land tenure, natural resource management and farmer-herder strategies in response to climate variability and development policy.
Dr.
R.A.
(Rijk)
van
Dijk
Geographic expertise: Botswana, Ghana, Malawi
Rijk van Dijk is an anthropologist. He is an expert on Pentecostalism, globalization and transnationalism, migration, youth and healing.
Prof. Dr.
S.D.K.
(Stephen)
Ellis
Geographic expertise: Liberia, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, South Africa, West Africa
Stephen Ellis is a historian with a broad range of interests in contemporary history and politics.
Dr.
D.W.J.
(Dick)
Foeken
Geographic expertise: Kenya
Dick Foeken is a human geographer and his main research interests are urban poverty, urban water supply and urban agriculture in Africa.
Dr.
J.B.
(Jan-Bart)
Gewald
Geographic expertise: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana
Jan-Bart Gewald is a historian specialized in the social history of Africa.
Prof. Dr.
J.C.
(Jan)
Hoorweg
Geographic expertise: Kenya
Mr. Jan Hoorweg is currently seconded to Moi University as coordinator of the Coast Environment Research Station (CERS).
Dr.
M.M.A.
(Mayke)
Kaag
Geographic expertise: Senegal, Chad, Cameroon
Mayke Kaag is a social anthropologist interested in processes of change and continuity in West and West-Central Africa.
Dr.
W.M.J.
(Ineke)
van
Kessel
Geographic expertise: Ghana, Southern Africa, South Africa
Ineke van Kessel is a historian who focuses mainly on contemporary issues in South Africa.
Ir.
W.
(Wijnand)
Klaver
Geographic expertise: Kenya
Wijnand Klaver works as a researcher on food and nutrition issues, with a particular interest in the assessment of child growth and household food consumption.
Dr.
A.H.M.
(André)
Leliveld
Geographic expertise: Swaziland, Uganda
André Leliveld is a development economist and does research on informal insurance and social-support systems and community-based (health) insurance schemes in Africa.
Dr.
M.M.E.M.
(Marcel)
Rutten
Geographic expertise: East Africa, Kenya, Uganda
Marcel Rutten's research activities concentrate on natural resource management, notably of land and water, in (semi-)arid Africa.
Dr.
B.F.
(Benjamin)
Soares
Geographic expertise: Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal
Benjamin Soares is an anthropologist whose research interests include religion and 'modernity', Islam, and religious encounters in West Africa.
Dr.
K.
(Klaas)
van
Walraven
Geographic expertise: Niger, West Africa
Klaas van Walraven is a political scientist who has specialized in international relations of the African continent.
Project researchers
Dr.
M.
(Mathijs)
van
Leeuwen
Mathijs van Leeuwen is a rural development sociologist, who specialises in conflict and peacebuilding in developing countries.
Geographic expertise:
Dr.
A.G.T.
(Tom)
Schut
Dr Tom Schut is a spatial scientist, he holds a Master of Science degree in spatial soil science and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Wageningen University.
Dr.
S.
(Sebastiaan)
Soeters
Sebastiaan Soeters currently conducts research on urban developmental issues, with a special emphasis on urban food security.
Geographic expertise:
Z.
(Zjos)
Vlaminck
Zjos Vlaminck is a research assistant and will mainly assist in the collaborative project, Trade Unions and Labour Issues in Africa.
Dr.
L.
(Lotje)
de
Vries
Lotje de Vries is coordinating the ASC’s role in the Consortium for Development Partnership in collaboration with CODESRIA in Dakar
Dr.
H.
(Harry)
Wels
Harry Wels is director of the Research Masters African Studies
Geographic expertise:
Coordinator Research Masters:
Dr.
A.
(Azeb)
Amha
Dr. Azeb Amha is the coordinator of the Research Masters African Studies.