Dr. Rik Huizinga

Biography

Rik Huizinga is an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University, specializing in Urban Geography, Human Geography, and Spatial Planning. His research examines urban social and cultural geography, focusing on the complex social relations within the contexts of globalization, migration, and societal change. His primary areas of interest include gender, masculinity, intersectionality, refugees, migration, and identity equality. He utilizes qualitative participatory methods and emphasizes positionality and reflexivity in research ethics. Through his work, Huizinga explores the structural forms of marginalization, including ageism, racism, sexism, and capitalism, and highlights the various resistance methods displayed by individuals against exclusionary practices. His doctoral dissertation examined the gendered politics of home and forced resettlement through the experiences of young Syrian men. His postdoctoral work investigated how young asylum seekers navigate public spaces to foster a sense of belonging amidst a hostile environment. Huizinga has published extensively in high-quality journals and contributed chapters to significant academic works.

Research Interests

Experience