Jojanneke van der Toorn receives European career award for research in diversity and inclusion
Social psychologist Jojanneke van der Toorn receives the Mid-Career Award from the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP), one of the leading international associations in the field of social psychology. The award recognises researchers who excel in their academic work and make a significant contribution to the development of others and to the discipline.
Van der Toorn is Professor of LGBTIQ+ Workplace Inclusion at Leiden University and Associate Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology at Utrecht University. According to the jury, she stands out for her theoretically innovative and socially relevant research on inequality, diversity and inclusion.
Her work has contributed to a better understanding of how inequality emerges and is sustained within organisations and societies, how people experience inclusion policies, and how organisations can bring about lasting change.
Van der Toorn: 'What makes this award special is that it recognises both scientific achievements and contributions to the development of others. To me, this distinction shows that scientific and societal impact do not exclude one another, but can in fact reinforce each other. The interplay between science and practice is central to everything we do.'
Bridging science and society
The jury also praised her ability to build bridges between science and society. In addition to her research, Van der Toorn has built international academic networks, mentored a new generation of researchers, and developed collaborations with civil society organisations, employers and policymakers. In doing so, she has not only generated new knowledge, but also contributed to the ways in which that knowledge is put into practice.
About the award
The Mid-Career Award will be presented on 2 July at the General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology in Strasbourg. Previous recipients include some of Europe’s most distinguished social psychologists.
Dutch Inclusivity Monitor
This approach is clearly reflected in the Dutch Inclusion Monitor, a long-running research programme led by Van der Toorn in which researchers work together with organisations to gain insight into the effectiveness of diversity and inclusion policies. By combining data from dozens of organisations with insights from psychology, public administration and organisational studies, the team investigates the conditions needed for inclusion to truly succeed. Van der Toorn: 'Organisations can genuinely make a difference. But that requires a systematic and evidence-based approach, in which vision, policy and everyday practice are closely connected.' An important insight from this research is that inclusion policies are only effective when they are supported at all levels of an organisation.
Recognition for collaboration
For Van der Toorn, the award also represents recognition of a research culture in which collaboration is central. 'Although this is a personal award, I also see it as recognition of the way we work as a research group. Many of our most important insights emerge through collaboration with colleagues, PhD candidates, organisations and societal partners.'
Over Jojanneke van der Toorn
Jojanneke van der Toorn obtained her PhD from New York University in 2010 and subsequently held positions at Yale University, Leiden University and Utrecht University. Her research focuses on inequality, diversity and inclusion within organisations and society. In particular, she examines how social norms, group processes and power relations can either sustain inequality or help break it down, and what conditions are needed to enable lasting change.
Read more about her work on: https://www.jvandertoorn.com/