Dr. Anique Hommels

Biography

Anique Hommels holds the special chair in Sociohistorical Technology Studies at Maastricht University, supported by the Foundation History Technology (SHT). Her work encompasses management, research, and teaching, and she is the Head of the Department of Society Studies. Between 2015 and 2018, she served as Programme Director for the BA in Arts and Culture and from 2019 to 2024, she is Programme Director for the Research Master in Cultures, Arts, Science and Technology (CAST). Hommels' research revolves around urban sociotechnical change and the concepts of obduracy and vulnerability within critical infrastructure, focusing particularly on how cities innovate in pre- and post-disaster situations. She teaches in the BA Arts & Culture, BA European Studies, MA ESST, and the Research Master CAST programs. An expert in interdisciplinary Arts and Science, Hommels completed her undergraduate studies at Maastricht University from 1991 to 1995 and later obtained her PhD, focusing on the resistance to change during urban sociotechnical transformation processes. Her notable works include the book 'Unbuilding Cities - Obduracy Urban Sociotechnical Change', which was published by MIT Press in 2005, expanding on her thesis. Her early career included a researcher position at MERIT/Infonomics, where she focused on network society vulnerabilities in sociotechnical systems. Hommels has received several accolades, including the Brooke Hindle Fellowship from the American Society for History and Technology.

Research Interests

Experience