Magazine articles, september - december 2018 | News articles

Populism is hitting the charts

The ‘Top 2000’ season is once again upon us. Compiling this list of the ‘best’ pop songs goes hand-in-hand with lobbying efforts to get particular songs to chart highly. Why is that so important to us? Because music is so much more than just entertainment – it is a way in which we try to establish our identity, says Melanie Schiller, who researches popular music. It is therefore high time that we took music seriously as part of the cultural and political debate.
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'Faulty escalator leads to divided city’

Jacob Dijkstra, a sociologist at the UG, is concerned about developments in the city of Groningen. A city that, at first glance, is doing well. However, a closer look may reveal a divide opening up with on one side the prosperous inhabitants with a job, house, car and social network and on the other those who have none of the above and find it difficult to keep up.
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Collisions on the social highway

Zwarte Piet (‘Black Pete’), the Oostvaardersplassen, gender issues... social discussions are flaming up everywhere, and every year, positions seem to harden. This is the research field of Frank Hindriks, Professor of Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy. ‘You might say I study the traffic rules of society’. A philosopher as a social traffic controller – how does that work?
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Photo report: The treasures of the University Library

Locked away in a vault in the Special Collections department are books that will not see the light of day. Literally, that is. A photo report on the most special and oldest books of the university.
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Suspicious genes, fast legs

He is putting the finishing touches to a test that can reveal gene doping. However, Hidde Haisma, Professor of Pharmaceutical Gene Modulation at the University of Groningen and affiliated with the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), has a nuanced attitude towards doping users. He wants to protect sportspeople rather than sport itself. ‘Under pressure, top sportspeople do crazy things’, he says.

Sick from a broken heart

Heartache! We have all suffered from it at some point in time. The break-up of a relationship has a big impact, and can even lead to depression. But why does that happen to some people and not to others? ‘Understanding heartache can help us better understand depression.’
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Photo report: the Ocean Grazer

This photo report gives you a look behind the scenes of the work at the Ocean Grazer project. Watch the photos

The future is digital, but are you?

Many years ago, Marcel Broersma analysed old, yellowed newsprint for his PhD research on the history of the Leeuwarder Courant newspaper. Since then, digitalization has caused his research to shift to social media, new forms of media use and machine learning. When asked about his mission, the Professor of Media and Journalism Studies replied: to prepare Groningen’s society for a digital future.
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Margriet Hoogvliet: ‘Even poor people read the Bible in the Middle Ages’

It has been revealed that people in the Middle Ages read more religious texts than we previously assumed. These are the findings from research carried out by Margriet Hoogvliet, who is studying the religious reading and writing culture of urban populations between 1400 and 1550.
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How academia can help with Groningen's earthquake problem

How can academia help when the credibility of the world dissolves before your very eyes? How much is knowledge worth in a situation like this? Knowledge won't win the war. But it doesn't have to, claims Tom Postmes. What it does have to do is to make sure that everything is clear and to ask the right questions. We talked to the professor of Social Psychology.
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Hibernation research leads to new medicines

‘Kidney tubule cells from hibernators have an increased resistance to oxidative stress compared to non-hibernators. Based on our research into hibernation, we have identified a series of chemical entities which are capable of protecting the mitochondria in non-hibernating species, just like hibernating species do’, says Pieter Vogelaar.

What the world really needs to know about leadership

‘Do you know how often organizations select the wrong manager?’, asks Janka Stoker. ‘Recent research carried out by Gallup shows that this happens in a staggering 82% of cases! These managers were often chosen just because they happened to be very good in their previous, non-managerial positions. The best craftsman is made the boss; despite all the evidence showing that there’s more to being a manager than being good at your non-managerial job.’
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Peter van Kampen on the collaboration with German institutions

The fourth-largest economy in the world lies just 50 km east of Groningen. Although the physical border with Germany may no longer amount to much, there are mental barriers that make collaboration between Dutch companies and the German profit and non-profit sector far from perfect. Peter van Kampen wants to change this. ‘It’s almost as if we’re in China faster than at our neighbours.’
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Being as green as you should be can cause great social inconvenience

Jan Willem Bolderdijk must be the ideal son-in-law. He is cheerful, athletic and articulate. He cares greatly about sustainability and is highly aware of the consequences of his choices. But he did book that trip to Thailand. Why is it so difficult to be principled? Bolderdijk talks about his research on the ‘rough edges’ of sustainable behaviour.
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The endless possibilities of virtual reality

It is used to treat phobias, for conducting psychological experiments, to identify bones, to construct a virtual city - the possibilities of virtual reality (VR) are endless. The increasing popularity of VR means that more and more lecturers and researchers are trying to use applications in their work. The UG Reality Center is there to give them a helping hand. Frans van Hoesel: ‘People are often amazed by the scope of the possibilities. ’
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Swinging fieldwork in the migrant churches of The Hague

If you look carefully, you'll notice hundreds of migrant churches dotted around the Netherlands, particularly in the larger cities. How do these churches approach matters such as health, sexuality and safety? How can we close the unwelcome chasm between the support services and migrants? Brenda Bartelink, religious scientist, was curious to find out and went to visit these churches to join in and see for herself what is really going on.
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From Klokhuis question of the week to a Veni grant

Jorrig Vogels has always been fascinated by language. As a child, he even compared the different words for ingredients on any packaging he came across. Last summer, the language researcher managed to secure a much-coveted Veni grant. ‘There’s something telepathic about language: using language, I can convey an image that I have in my mind into your mind.’
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Down with those dropped ceilings!

As a boy from the province he would occasionally visit the city of Groningen and didn’t care much for all those old buildings. His interest in historical buildings did not emerge until much later, during his Architecture studies. Today, architect René Bosscher is responsible for the outsides of the University of Groningen buildings – but he also likes to keep a close eye on the interior renovations.
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