F van der Houwen

Dr. F van der Houwen is an Assistant Professor of Communication at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with a secondary appointment at the Network Institute. Their research focuses on forensic linguistics, discourse analysis, and legal communication processes, particularly in institutional settings like courts, police interviews, and journalistic interactions. They hold a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles).

Teaching responsibilities include Discourse Analysis and Forensic Linguistics courses for both undergraduate and Research Master’s programs, emphasizing authorship analysis, legal language dynamics, and the role of linguistics in law. Notable research projects include a VU-funded PhD study (2007-2014) on formulations in institutional interactions and a CAMeRA-funded postdoc (2008-2012) examining recipient design in therapy via new media.

Professional activities include consultancy for Forensicon (authorship analysis) since 2013 and registration as a linguistic expert in the LDM national database. Key publications explore juvenile court communication, legal rights negotiation, and narrative construction in institutional discourse.