Pluralistic research
ISS research projects are set up in line with the pluralistic methods anchored in the ISS research programme. Our projects are interdisciplinary, involving researchers from across the social sciences.
Highlighted projects
Understanding transactional sex in situations of humanitarian crisis
Investigating the practice, consequences and problems of transactional sex

Commodity & land rushes and regimes
Reshaping the politics of food, climate, labour and citizenship

Transformative Methodologies
Critically reflecting on research methodologies for social transformation

Our research projects
Each project falls under one or more of our four research themes.
Scroll through the menu below for more details of individual projects.
Why and how conflicts occur and how to achieve peace
Related research projects
- Understanding transactional sex in situations of humanitarian crises (ListenH)
- Humanitarian governance: accountability, advocacy, alternatives
- Strengthening Law, Democratization and Media in Ethiopia (LA-DEM-MED)
- Legal Mobilization: Analyzing law-based advocacy
- When disaster meets conflict
- Transformative Methodologies
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The transformations of national societies and global society
Related research projects
Revisiting the Migration-Development Nexus from a Cross-Border Perspective
Making migration and migration policy decisions amidst societal transformations (PACES)
Technological change in the agro-food sector in the Netherlands
Changing our story: The pursuit of inclusive education (E+CHOS)
Deporting foreigners: Contested norms in international practice (NORMS)
Understanding transactional sex in situations of humanitarian crises (ListenH)
- Strengthening Education and Training Capacity in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Uganda (SET-SRHR)
- 'Count us in': Towards realizing health rights among undocumented people
- Transnational political engagement of African diaspora
- Social justice under secular liberalism: Muslims’ everyday ethics and human development in India and the Netherlands
- Exploring transnational diaspora engagement: Refugee settlements in Northern Uganda
- Migration and Human security – PCC Holder 2017-2019
- Humanitarian governance: accountability, advocacy, alternatives
- Transformative Methodologies
- Deporting foreigners: Constested norms in international practice
Conserving natural resources for sustainable development
Related research projects
Lithium extraction for inclusive development: gender analysis in Chile & Bolivia
- All eyes on the Amazon
- Green industrial policy in the age of rare metals (GRIP-ARM)
- Commodity & land rushes and regimes (RRUSHES-5)
- Well-being, ecology, gender and community (WEGO)
- The rise of digital farming
- Transitioning to the circular economy (ReTraCe)
- Theorizing a post-extractivist future for India
- Legal Mobilization: Analyzing law-based advocacy
- Humanitarian governance: accountability, advocacy, alternatives
- Transformative Methodologies
Reducing poverty and vulnerability
Research projects
LGBTQ+ youth and refugees
Strengthening training and education partnerships on sexual and gender-based violence (STEPS)
Technological change in the agro-food sector in the Netherlands
Changing our story: The pursuit of inclusive education (E+CHOS)
Preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH)
Understanding transactional sex in situations of humanitarian crises (ListenH)
Migrant labour in Dutch agriculture: Regulated precarity
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