Fatma Çapkurt and Sophie Starrenburg, who work at the Institute of Public Law, (Constitutional and Administrative Law and the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies), respectively, have received a Veni grant of up to €320,000 for creative, ambitious and pioneering research. They can now develop their own line of research over the next three years.
The prestigious Veni grant, awarded annually under the NWO Talent Programme, supports promising and innovative research and is aimed at researchers who have recently completed their PhD. The award acknowledges the outstanding quality of the research proposal, which clearly exceeds the standard level of excellence. It allows researchers to gain new insights and take their own line of research further.
Fatma Çapkurt: From reactive to proactive administration
Many citizens do not make use of income support schemes to which they are entitled, such as benefits and allowances. Although administrative law assumes that citizens will apply for these schemes themselves, in practice many are insufficiently aware of what they are entitled to. They also struggle with the application process or even abandon it because of its complexity. Fatma Çapkurt examines how public authorities can identify citizens who are not claiming their entitlements and provide them with effective support.
‘Sound public administration isn’t when a vulnerable citizen seeks assistance from the authorities; it’s when the authorities are aware that the citizen is in danger of missing out on a benefit or entitlement.’
Sophie Starrenburg: Protection of displaced heritage
War and climate change are forcing many communities from their homes. This poses risks not only to individuals, but also to their cultural heritage. International cultural heritage law offers inadequate protection for such heritage, as its state-centric approach leaves little room for the interests and heritage of displaced communities. Sophie Starrenburg examines how forced displacement calls into question the core principles of cultural heritage law and explores how international law can better protect displaced heritage.
‘Displaced communities are invisible within cultural heritage law. We must ensure that the law fulfils its promise: to protect the heritage of allcommunities.’
A complete overview of the 19 Leiden researchers who received a grant.
- administatrive law
- cultural heritage
- international law
