Homepage of drs. Hans de Haan
My research is on societal transitions. As a researcher in DRIFT I try to contribute to the understanding of these long-term and large-scale processes of structural change.
I am originally trained as a theoretical physicist at Leiden University and. My thesis work at the Lorentz Institute was on non-linear dynamics and pattern formation, which I did under supervision of prof. van Saarloos. I joined DRIFT as a Ph.D. student in February 2005.
My specific niche in the transition research is theory forming and computational and mathematical approaches to societal transitions. I am also interested in what one can actually know about processes in such complex social systems, which adds an angle of philosophy to my research.
Research Interests
Theory
This part of my research interest is rather central. My aim to build a theoretical framework for understanding transitions. In this I try to separate clearly between:
1. The description of the societal system and identifying conditions for change
2. Bundles of mechanisms that consist of hypotheses providing explanations for patterns change.
3. The actual unfolding of transitions paths, either as their straightforward development in time or as ideal types.
These three sections of the theory are called the pillars of change (see publications). The aim of this theory is to be simultaneously the basic for narrative analyses of transitions (i.e. case-study work on historical or current transitions) and to be a basis for computational or mathematical modelling. I believe that it is important that a theory on complex societal phenomena such as transitions upholds a close relation to modelling approaches, because they provide the rigorous way of thought experimenting necessary for coming to consistent theory.
Computational and Mathematical Approaches
Modelling approaches, I think, are of great importance in science in general and thus for the understanding of societal transitions as well. Therefore part of my research is making, elaborating and studying such approaches. I am in the fortunate position that more researchers share this opinion and dedicate (part of) their research efforts to this. The workshop "Computational and Mathematical Approaches to Societal Transitions", of which I was part of the organisational team, started of an international network of researchers on such approaches. These people go under the moniker of ExTraScience, feel free to check out their forum. Currently we are working on a special issue on this topic for the CMOT journal (see also publications).
Philosophy
What can we actually know about societal transitions? And what can we know about processes in complex societal systems anyway? This more philosophical form of inquiry is also part of my research. It has led to some structured thoughts on the concept of emergence (see publications). Currently I am investigating why theory for complex societal phenomena needs to be constructed differently than other social theory and natural science theories.
Contact Information
J. de Haan
Dutch Research Institute For Transitions (DRIFT)
Faculty of Social Sciences
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Visiting address:
M-building, 5th floor, room M5-43
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
3062 PA Rotterdam (the Netherlands)
Postal address:
M5-43
P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam (the Netherlands)
phone:
+31 (0)10-4088786
email:
j.dehaan@fsw.eur.nl
Website:
http://www.drift.eur.nl
