Tineke Fokkema

Prof. Dr. Tineke Fokkema is a distinguished academic holding dual appointments as Senior Researcher at the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI-KNAW) in the Families & Generations group, and as Endowed Professor of Ageing, Families and Migration at the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam. She also serves as coordinator of the Standing Committee 'Older Migrants' within IMISCOE. With a PhD in Economics from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Fokkema has established herself as an internationally recognized specialist at the intersection of ageing, migration, and intergenerational solidarity.

Her research expertise spans multiple critical areas including loneliness among older adults, intergenerational solidarity, migration patterns, and return migration. Fokkema has extensive experience analyzing large-scale cross-national surveys such as SHARE, GGS, and TIES, and has conducted fieldwork among older migrants in Italy and Morocco. Her scholarly contributions have appeared in leading academic journals including The Journals of Gerontology, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Population, Space and Place, European Journal of Ageing, and Ageing and Society.

An analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a consistent focus on the complex relationship between migration, aging processes, and social integration, with particular attention to loneliness among older migrant populations. Her work demonstrates methodological sophistication across quantitative survey analysis, qualitative fieldwork, and policy-oriented research. Notably, her research increasingly examines nuanced aspects of place attachment, gender differences, and cultural factors affecting the wellbeing of older migrants.

Prof. Fokkema has been actively involved in significant research initiatives, including the ERC Research project 'Families in Context' (2014-2018) led by Prof. P.A. Dykstra, which examined the social implications of growing old in migration contexts. She has contributed to policy development through her work with the Scientific Advisory Committee 'One Against Loneliness' and has published policy-relevant research on migrant pension income inequality and social integration challenges.