Honorary doctorates for journalist Folkert Jensma and writer Zeynep Tufekci
The UvA is awarding honorary doctorates to journalist and columnist Folkert Jensma and sociologist and writer Zeynep Tufekci. They will be awarded during the celebration of the 392nd dies natalis on Thursday, January 11th, 2024.
Jensma will receive an honorary doctorate for his journalistic work drawing attention to the rule of law, the quality of everyday legal practice, and its impact on individual citizens. Tufekci will receive an honorary doctorate because of her sharp analyses of social movements and social media, among other topics.
Rule of law conscience
Folkert Jensma is a legal editor, commentator, and until 2007 chief editor at the Dutch daily newspaper NRC, as stated in the UvA press release. In his “rule of law” columns for NRC, Jensma broaches themes such as the separation of power, access to law, and innovation. Jensma’s other journalistic work also indicates his concern for the quality of the rule of law. According to honorary supervisor Iris van Domselaar, Professor of Philosophy of Law and Professional Ethics for Lawyers, Jensma has become the “constitutional conscience” of Dutch legal practice with an eye for legal equality and access for ordinary citizens in recent decades. His work is an important addition to scholarly research on the rule of law and its implementation.
Technology sociologist
Zeynep Tufkeci, in addition to being Henry G. Bryant Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University, is a columnist for the New York Times and WIRED. During the popular uprisings in the Middle East starting in 2010, Tufekci made a name for herself as a “sociologist of technology.” “In her columns and on social media, Tufekci distinguishes herself by providing extensive scientific support for her views,” says honorary doctoral candidate and professor of urban geography Justus Uitermark in the press release.
In addition to her contributions on social media and blogs, Tufkeci also wrote a book, Twitter and Tear Gas, published by Yale University Press in 2017. Reviewers praise the book for its innovative take on the role of social media in protest actions. And according to honorary supervisor Uitermark, Tufekci is not afraid to go against prevailing opinion when the facts demand it. In this way, her work is a valuable contribution to science, including to her field of sociology, and to journalism.
Honorary doctorates
Since 1897, one or more honorary doctorates have been awarded at the UvA during the dies natalis celebration. An honorary doctorate, officially a “doctoratus honoris causa,” is awarded to individuals who have made an exceptional scientific achievement without a record of it in the form of a dissertation. An honorary doctor is then awarded.
According to Rector Magnificus Peter-Paul Verbeek, both prospective honorary professors know how to build bridges between science and society. “This fits seamlessly with the UvA’s social commitment and our aim to contribute to a resilient, just society. I am therefore very proud to award honorary doctorates to Jensma and Tufekci.”
