معرفی
Dr. Maaike Matelski is an Assistant Professor in Social and Cultural Anthropology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. She is affiliated with the Mobilities, Beliefs and Belonging (MOBB) research group. Her work focuses on civil society activism, rights-based advocacy, and transnational solidarity, particularly in Myanmar, Kenya, and Ghana. She holds a PhD recognized by the Praemium Erasmianum Prize (2018) and has produced influential publications like her 2024 book on Myanmar’s civil society.
Her research explores advocacy legitimacy, intergenerational activism in Myanmar, and long-distance activism by diaspora communities. She coordinates the Anthropology department’s education program, teaching courses on conflict, peacebuilding, and professional anthropology. Her current projects include the Ethnographic Impact for Social Justice initiative (2023–2026), collaborating with societal partners to amplify local resistance narratives. She co-produced the documentary Letter to a Friend (2025) with Shan State youth.
- Research Interests: Civil society dynamics, transnational advocacy, community representation, human rights, Myanmar studies, Kenya studies, gendered activism, and diaspora networks.
- Key Projects: Community-based legitimacy toolkit (2021–2023), follow-up studies in Ghana and Kenya, and the Starter Grant project on social justice ethnography.
Matelski has advised Indonesian PhD candidates researching hydrosocial dynamics and waste recycling in Indonesia. Her work has been shortlisted for the Routledge Area Studies Impact Award (2023) and recognized through media contributions addressing Myanmar’s socio-political crises.
