Besides my journalism work, I am an applied anthropologist & researcher working in (post)-conflict settings.

I have worked in various (post)conflict settings across Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe. I have led and contributed to participatory, qualitative, and visual research projects for a range of humanitarian partners. I provided social science support to aid agencies working to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola outbreaks.

I conduct primary research, literature reviews, advise on research design, and can be booked to speak at events and conferences.

Country experience: Argentina, Afghanistan, Belgium, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Netherlands, Mauritania, Madagascar, Malawi, Palestine, Romania, Serbia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Sudan, Syria (remote), Somalia (remote), Sudan, Ukraine (remote), Uganda.

Methodologies: online & social media research, visual research, photo-voice and videography, participatory research, qualitative research, applied anthropology, literature reviews, tool design, (remote) analysis, training and capacity building, report writing.

Consulted for: e.g., Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), Overseas Development Institute (ODI), Anthrologica, World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, World Food Programme (WFP), Internews, CLEAR Global/Translators Without Borders, Minority Rights Group International (MRGI), Thompson Reuters Foundation, Warchild International, Save the Children.

Lectures and conferences: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten (KABK), Ferrara Journalism Fest, International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC), Journalismfund Board Meeting 2023, Dutch Prosecutors Office (OM).

Membership: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)’s Field Advisory Council of the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology.

Recent research

  • Mapping drug trade between the Netherlands & the Western Balkans

    Briefing on the flourishing trade in drugs between the Western Balkan and the Netherlands for the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC).

  • Research on gender based and sexual violence in war affected areas in Ukraine

    Technical advise for a research team investigating gender based and sexual violence, also by armed forces, in the Ukraine conflict for Oxfam/CLEAR Global.

  • The state of Afghanistan's media space after the Taliban take-over

    I supported a team of Afghan media researchers from Internews to provide an analysis of the state of journalism post-Taliban take-over.

  • Exclusion of Maay-speakers in polio campaigns

    Research on the language barriers of Maay speakers to successful polio vaccination campaigns in conflict affected Somalia.

  • Guatemala - media analysis

    Advisory support to a team of anthropologists researching media reporting on gender and violence in Guatemala for Reuters and Hivos.

  • Journalism & Media Research

    Research for Internews, an international media support nonprofit operating world wide, on local news dynamics, trust and engagement.

  • Ebola preparedness in South Sudan

    Research for Anthrologica, Internews and Save the Children on prepardness and citizen concerns related to Ebola in South Sudan.

  • Information needs & participation demands in the Tigray response

    Research for Internews about the information and participation dynamics and challenges in Sudan’s Tigray refugee response.

  • Public health messages on COVID-19 and comprehension in Sudan

    I am supporting CLEAR Global to test the comprehension of public health messages on COVID-19 in various states in Sudan.

  • Communication around sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in eastern DRC

    Research on user preferences when it comes to reporting sexual abuse and exploitation involving aid-workers in east DRC.