dr. L.W. (Lourens) van Haaften

Lourens van Haaften's research interest lies in understanding how the rise of higher education, as a mass phenomenon, played a role in transforming societies and was interwoven with the creation of socio-political and economic complexes. His research has particularly focused on the rise of management education in India in the period from 1960 to 2000 and its wider social ramifications. He has also conducted research into the role of transnational religious networks in educational developments in India after independence.

Lourens obtained his Ph.D. in history at KU Leuven, Belgium, in 2021. His dissertational project was part of the EU Marie Curie funded Innovative Training Network titled ‘explaining Global India’. For his dissertation research he conducted fieldwork and archival research in India, the US and Europe. Previously, he has held a position as junior lecturer at Utrecht University in history of international relations (2016-2017).

Besides his academic contributions, Lourens enjoys engaging with contemporary policy debates, in which he also promotes the use of historical perspectives. He has written several opinion pieces on Indian politics, and in particular with regard to educational developments. He also produced policy briefs and studies for think tanks in Brussels and New Delhi on the geopolitical dimensions in the policies to enhance higher educational cooperation between India and the EU.