International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)

Photo by Callum Blacoe on Unsplash In this Humanitarian Governance webinar, Professor Marcel Hazeu (Federal University of Para, Brazil) for a discussion on various humanitarian crises unfolding in the Brazilian Amazon. Santiago del Hierro Kennedy (PhD Researcher, ETH Zurich)will follow the presentation with a reflection on how development initiatives interact with resource extraction, widescale agriculture and encroachment on Indigenous territory […]

The International Institute of Social Studies is hosting the third edition of The Hague Humanitarian Studies Centre’s One-Day Conference which will look at how global political currents affect the work of humanitarian actors and researchers. Global political currents are buffeting humanitarian action and humanitarian studies in multiple contexts across the world, with decisions taken in […]

On 29 and 30 September 2025 in The Hague, the Gender and International Criminal Law Conference will bring together legal practitioners, scholars, activists, survivors, and policymakers to critically assess and respond to emerging challenges at the intersection of gender justice and international criminal law (ICL). As obstacles to gender justice escalate in conflict and post-conflict zones around the world and […]

Professor Dirk-Jan Koch will give his inaugural lecture investigating the changes to Dutch development cooperation during the 73rd anniversary celebration of the International Institute of Social Studies.   The title of the inaugural lecture is 'The Rise & Fall of Dutch Commitment of Development. What next?' More information will follow soon.   Register here

Floods represent one of the most persistent and damaging disasters in Indonesia, a nation highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Despite significant investments in flood management infrastructure, several Indonesian cities continue to grapple with flooding issues, while others have effectively reduced their risks. In Politics of Dry Feet, Dr Yogi Permana explores the reasons behind […]

On 16 March 2026, Professor Wendy Harcourt will deliver her valedictory lecture entitled 'Connecting with Care: Pedagogies for transformation' Wendy Harcourt came to ISS not as a trained teacher but as a feminist and research activist, more used to speaking as an advocate than giving lectures. In her valedictory lecture she will candidly share how she came to […]

Rye will present his research into the Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) ‘Field Recentralisation’ initiative, which aims to decentralize decision making from headquarters in Europe to field offices in Southern African countries. This localization initiative is intended to make MSF’s work more adaptable, flexible and innovative, as well as moving decision making closer to affected people. […]

On 30 March 2026, the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) will be hosting this seminar examining how lived experiences and lessons from the global South can help strengthen democracy in the global North, and how European countries can collaborate to strengthen democracy around the world. With democracy […]

Past Lessons and Future Pathways for International Development Cooperation – 16 April 2026 Date & Time: Thursday, 16 April 2026, 15:30 – 17:00 Location: Atrium, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) invites you to a special book presentation and discussion on the early days of Dutch […]

The Rector of the International Institute of Social Studies has the pleasure of inviting you to a special ceremony in which Professor Helena Varkkey will formally accept her appointment to the Prince Claus Chair in Equity and Development 2025-2027 'Fire, Water and Haze: Chasing blue skies in Southeast Asia' About Helena Varkkey Helena Varkkey is an Associate […]

Join us for an evening with Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of the World Resources Institute, as he presents his new book The New Global Possible: Rebuilding Optimism in the Age of Climate Crisis. The conversation will examine why a new economy — one that works for people, nature, and the climate — is not […]

Dr Libby Lahar, Visiting Fellow and PhD alumna at the International Institute of Social Studies, joins a panel of distinguished experts to examine Europe's role in shaping the political future and economic viability of Palestine. The discussion draws on her new book, The Economic Diplomacy of Peace in the Middle East: Paris Protocol to the […]