On Monday 9 March 2026 the bachelor's and master's graduation ceremony of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology will take place in the Academy Building. Depending on the number of students, the ceremony may be held jointly for both master's and bachelor's students, or as separate events. We…

Johannes Müller is a university lecturer and researcher at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society.

A successful series of lectures on interior design, a symposium on four-poster beds and a new series of study afternoons on the horizon. University lecturer Alexander Dencher knows how to hold the attention of a growing audience. How does he do it? And what makes the history of interior design so fa…

Curious what it’s like to study Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University? During our shadowing days, you’ll join a student to attend a real lecture and get a feel for the atmosphere at the institute.

Arash Mohammadavvali is an external PhD candidate at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society.

Camilla Marraccini is is a guest PhD candidate at the Institute for History.

Children are generally not drawn to abstract art, research shows. But how exactly does abstract art affect our emotions? Through empirical research, psychologists from Leiden University are investigating at the Josef Albers Museum in Germany how this form of art can be made more relatable to the world…

Wouter Wagemakers is a specialist in Italian renaissance art and architecture, and lecturer at the Centre for the Arts in Society. At Leiden University, he teaches a survey course on European renaissance art and architecture, 1300-1550; and co-teaches seminars about Rome, the Global Renaissance, and…

Alisa van de Haar is Assistant Professor in historical French Literature. Her research focuses on historical multilingualism, the history of the language sector, and the intersection between language and migration. From 2022 to 2026, she conducted a Dutch Research Council Veni project titled ‘Languages…

Elena Paskaleva is assistant professor in Critical Heritage Studies of Asia and Europe at Leiden University. Her current research focuses on the material culture of Central Asia, and in particular on the history and socio-political importance of Timurid architecture. She is the author of Silk Road Cities…

Petra de Bruijn teaches courses on Turkish literature, theatre, film and television drama at the department of Middle Eastern Studies of Leiden University. Her scholarly work focuses on nationalism in contemporary Turkish narrative culture.

Ivo Smits is a professor of Arts and Cultures of Japan at the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies (LIAS).

Patrick Degryse is a guest staff member at the Leiden Faculty of Archaeology, as well as full professor at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

How can we view societal challenges from a different perspective? At the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF), Robert Zwijnenberg, Emeritus Professor of Art and Science Interactions, will call for more collaboration between artists and scientists.

Rajat Ravi Rao researches the influence of emotions on the perception and appreciation of visual art through the lens of a predictive processing framework. He aims to apply these findings to enhance art education methodologies.

Alette Vonk holds an MA in Development Sociology and Practitioner certificates in the fields of Intercultural Management, Organizational Development, Organizational Culture and NLP. She has more than 25 years experience in both organizational and community development in international settings: she…

Jan Frans van Dijkhuizen is a University Lecturer at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society.

On the initiative of Leiden Law School’s Art Committee, the festive opening of the photo exhibition of the Leiden Amateur Photographic Society (LAFV) took place on Friday 20 May 2022 in the C corridor of the Kamerlingh Onnes Building.

Dr Aktürk Hauser is Assistant Professor at the Department of Heritage and Society.

Emma Grootveld is a University Lecturer at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society.

Janneke Wesseling is director of PhDArts at the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts at Leiden University and professor in Art and Research at the University of the Arts, The Hague.

Céline Zaepffel is a Lecturer in French literature and culture. Her research focuses on the transmission of ideologies through modern children's literature and culture, based on an intermedial and sociological analysis of children's media and the historical and cultural context of their publication.…

On Monday 5 October 2026 the master's graduation ceremony of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology will take place in the Academy Building.

Robert Ross is Professor Emeritus in African Studies at the Leiden University Institute for History (chair from 2004 to 2014).

Dr. Tingting Hui is an Assistant Professor at Leiden University, specializing in critical theory, contemporary literature and arts, and the philosophy of language. Her research spans diverse areas, including care ethics, multilingualism, and translation theory. She has received multiple awards, such…

Surya Suryadi is a Lecturer at the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies.

The PERSPECTIVE project looks to address the concept of successfulness. What does it mean to be the ‘perfect student’, to be 'successful' at university and later in life. It explores perfectionism, setting expectations, performance pressure and more.

Jonathan Powell is a postdoctoral researcher on the ERC consolidator project FEATHERS at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society.

Steven Lauritano is an art and architectural historian, and assistant professor at Leiden University. His research examines the intersection of architecture and antiquarianism, the history of architectural preservation, and the exchanges that have animated architectural-history-writing and design. Before…

Bernhard Rieger is a Professor of European History at the institute for History.

At a turbulent time in which world leaders are struggling to take stand against Trumpism, an artist from the small island of Puerto Rico sent a powerful message at none less than the unofficial national day of the United States. With over 128 million views, Bad Bunny’s performance broke NFL social media…

Lydia Lois van de Fliert is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Archaeology.

We have the pleasure of hosting organisational psychologist Fieke Harinck. Fieke is an expert on negotiation, communication skills and improvisation and co-author of the book ‘The Art of Presenting’. She shares invaluable insights and advice on how to deliver impactful presentations that captivate your…

In an article by the New York Times, cultural heritage law specialist Evelien Campfens discusses the difficulties surrounding the ownership of looted art.

Sara Brandellero is a University Lecturer in Brazilian Literature and Culture at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS). Her teaching and research focus on Brazil, also in global perspective, especially in its connections with the Portuguese-speaking world, Europe and Latin America.…

Judith Naeff is Assistant Professor Cultures of the Middle East at Leiden University with a main interest in contemporary Arabic visual culture and literature. She has worked mainly on cities & urban imaginaries and memory & temporality.

Dr. Gerlov van Engelenhoven is an assistant professor at Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS), teaching courses on postcolonial memory, law & culture, and cultural interaction. His most recent book is titled Postcolonial Memory in the Netherlands: Meaningful Voices, Meaningful Silences.…

How does a Leiden alumnus end up working at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)? In the case of Daniëlle Kisluk-Grosheide, it was partly down to chance, luck, fate. But that was preceded by a unique degree in decorative arts in Leiden.

Reinier Baarsen is Professor by special appointment of History of the Decorative Arts at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society.

Peter Bisschop is Professor of Sanskrit and Ancient Cultures of South Asia at the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies. He is a Sanskritist and cultural historian of ancient India, with particular interest in the development of Hinduism and related traditions. His research is philological in…

Arthur Crucq is a University Lecturer at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society. He lectures about topics such as art and anthropology, art theory, representation and style, regarding fields as diverse as architecture, ornament, painting, sculpture and textiles. In recent years he published…

Nike van Helden is an external PhD and Lecturer at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society. With a background in Latin American Studies, Nike has specialized in literary analysis, and Cuban literature in particular.

Sybille Lammes is full professor New Media and Digital Culture at Leiden University. Her background is in new media-studies and play-studies.

(Anastasia) Chi Zhang is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Archaeology

What effect do trends in the art world have on the formation of museum collections? University lecturer Martin Berger wants to answer that question in his research within the Museums, Collections and Society project, which asks ethical questions about the origin of collections.

Simay Çetin is a PhD candidate in the NWO-funded project “At Home Otherwise: Rethinking Heritage through Diversity.” Her research project aims to analyze diversity and everyday home-making in allotment gardens through the lens of food heritage.