Researchers Humanities receive Veni grants
Three scholars of the Faculty of Humanities, Ahmad Al-Jallad, Thomas Fossen, and Tsolin Nalbantian, have received a Veni grant to implement their research plans over the coming years.
Leiden's Venis
Researchers who have obtained their PhD within the past three years are eligible to apply for a Veni subsidy; they are free to choose their research subject. NWO's aim with this subsidy is to encourage curiosity-driven and innovative research. Many of the subjects the researchers will be studying are related to issues of immediate social relevance.
The writing on the rocks: Thamudic and Arabia’s linguistic past
Dr A.M. Al-Jallad (m), Linguistics
The Arabic deserts are strewn with thousands of barely understandable ancient inscriptions known as the Thamudic inscriptions. This project is the first integral research on this corpus, carried out within the digital humanities. Making these texts accessible will fundamentally change our understanding of the languages and population of pre-Islamic Arabia.
Critical moments: How do events affect how we should judge the legitimacy of political authorities?
Dr T. Fossen (m), Philosophy
This project focuses on a crucial aspect of legitimacy that political philosophers often overlook: the significance of events. In what ways do historical and current events affect how we should judge the legitimacy of political authorities? For example, how did the revolution of Tahrir Square affect what counts as a good judgment of the subsequent Egyptian regime?
Connecting citizens: the fused identities of Nusaybin, Turkey and Qamishle, Syria
Dr T. (Tsolin) Nalbantian (v), LIAS
This project seeks to explore the shared connections between Syrian and Turkish citizens beyond their ethnic, religious and national differences. This corrects both media and historical depictions that assume essential differences between them, thereby justifying the current violence in the region.