Robert Vonk appointed professor of the history of social welfare at Utrecht University

As of October 1, 2023, Robert Vonk has been appointed professor of the History of Social Welfare at Utrecht University. The chair focuses on the development of social welfare in the Netherlands from an international perspective. In his research, Robert Vonk focuses on the role that international organizations have played in shaping ideas about social welfare and on their impact on policymaking and implementation issues in the Netherlands, as well as on how Dutch policymaking in this area relates to neighboring countries. In his opinion, knowledge about this history is essential when tackling the challenges facing the social welfare system in the Netherlands today. Not only do the challenges have historical parallels, but the past is also the foundation on which new arrangements will be built. This chair is part of the Economic Social History department at the Department of History and Art History.