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Maaike van Berkel is a social cultural historian specializing in the Ancient and Medieval History of the Middle East. Her research particularly focuses on literacy, court culture, power relations, urban organization, and management of natural resources. She has been an active member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences since 2022 and has served as the director of the interdisciplinary School of Abbasid Studies since 2018. Van Berkel is currently involved in a research project supported by the NWO VICI grant, investigating water management in premodern Middle Eastern cities, a critical challenge in water-scarce regions. Her previous work includes coordination of the NWO Horizon Eurasian Empires project and leadership in the FP7 project on Anti-Corruption Policies, with significant publications that foster a comparative perspective on Eurasian imperial histories. She has been awarded multiple research grants, including the NWO Veni grant focused on communication and conflict resolution during the caliphal court. In addition to her research, she contributes to various academic boards and networks promoting historical studies and women's representation in academia.
Applies to Research Master's in Linguistics and Communication Sciences (Centre for Language Studies/Department of Language and Communication).