Paul van de Laar is the new Head of Department of History as of December 1st. Paul has been connected to the Erasmus University Rotterdam since 1982. He divided his time from 2001 to 2020 between the University and Museum Rotterdam, where he has been general director since 2013. We’ve asked him a few questions about his background and his plans for the Department of History.
Could you tell us a bit more about your background?
It’s been some time since I set my first steps here. When I moved to Rotterdam in 1982, my friends thought I wanted to become an economist, but I graduated in societal history in 1987. History in Rotterdam was my first choice, because of its innovative department, embedded in the multidisciplinary traditions of the School of Economics and Social Sciences of the 1960 and 1970s.
After I finished my PhD in 1991, I became a research consultant in the maritime sector. In 1993 my PhD supervisor contacted me and asked me to write a new economic history on the port of Rotterdam. I therefore became a professional historian again. However, I used the opportunities of new trends in urban history and this became my major field of interest. In 1997 I was so fortunate to become appointed as endowed professor of history of Rotterdam, a chair made possible by the Rotterdam Historical Society. Because of my chair and interest in public and urban history, I changed my career. I became Head of Collections and Research of Museum Rotterdam in 2001. In 2013 I became director. As a museum director I was responsible for the new focus on city museums and their role in a changing urban context, in particular the role of cultural heritage in superdiverse cities.
The combination of my career as museum professional and academic has been always very stimulating and I really enjoy being part of an academic community as well. Apart from my elective Urban History: Rotterdam in Global Perspective, I am a visiting professor in Barcelona for the international master programme: Global Markets and Local Creativities (GLOCAL). My research focuses on comparative port city history, migration history, but also on urban heritage.
Why did you decide to take on this challenge?
I have been affiliated with Museum Rotterdam museum for eight years. I am 61 now and I wanted to spend more time on my academic work and teaching. This summer I started discussing the opportunities to reduce my managerial tasks with the board of supervisors of the museum. In fact, I decided to make the opposite movement I made in 2001 when I moved from an academic career to the museum. I was so fortunate that the Jurriaanse Stichting wanted to prolong my endowed chair for another term. Interim-dean Frank van der Duijn Schouten asked me if I was willing to spend more time at the ESHCC and to become head of the history department. The conversations with Frank were very inspiring and stimulating and he really convinced me that this step was welcomed by the staff. This was very important for me and that made it much easier for me to make another career switch.
What are your plans for the Department of History?
Our department has been reviewed very positive by external Teaching and Research Assessments. This is important to stress since these evaluations underline the fact that the department has a good track record. On the other hand, we must recognise that the past years have been very stressful. The first thing I want to discuss are the outcomes of the Employee survey ESHCC. We must address the working conditions of the staff, particularly that of young staff members. Good working conditions are a pre-condition for any further plans considering the future of the department within ESHCC, but also in relationship with other initiatives on campus.
The other important element is the discussion on the new profile of the department. Interim-dean Van der Duijn Schouten created a work group over the summer to discuss the profile of the history department and how it wants to position itself, both in education and research. These discussions were already very promising, and I hope that once COVID-19 leaves the campus we can continue the profile discussions. My long-term career as manager in a professional organisation tells me that it is important that everybody is informed about new ideas, that we create a common understanding on what we want to achieve and improve and that we come to terms how to implement it.
What is the strength of the Department of History and ESHCC in your opinion?
My personal history and that of the History Department have much in common. The engagement with societal history shows that the department wants to be relevant to society. This is a great asset of the department. This is shown by the passionate engagement of its researches, teachers and this is something which will remain the strengths of the department in the future. These are characterised by strong relationships with social sciences and comparative typologies, historical reflections on contemporary societal challenges, and a non-traditional and non-westernised global approach.
I think the school will have possibilities to using its Rotterdam interdisciplinary profile to extend the role of ESHCC. History, Culture and Media are three strong elements which are recognised by many. For instance, the Cultural Campus on Rotterdam South and other initiatives in which the Erasmus University, including EMC, and Delft are involved. I am confident that our department and our school will have major opportunities to associate with programmes spearheaded by the Erasmus University, such as Vital Cities and Citizens, but also extending the specific expertise of the department in the area of minors and or electives throughout the campus (Economics, Governance, Law, Social Sciences and Health). Contribute to applying and valorising expertise addressing Rotterdam’s major challenges becoming an inclusive, sustainable and resilient city. This is something, which has my personal interest as well. I believe that the school has much to offer to the city and this is something I really hope we are able to develop.