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Law Centre for Health and Life LHCL

Jannet Vaessen as Senior Research Fellow at the Law Centre for Health and Life

2 April 2024

We are delighted to welcome Jannet Vaessen as a Senior Research Fellow at the Law Centre for Health and Life. Her interdisciplinary perspective, grounded in a master's degree in modern history from the University of Amsterdam, helps her comprehend the intricate interconnections among law, healthcare, and societal dynamics. She will be researching the paradigm shift toward the concept of diversity in health care, in correlation with the right to health.

Can you tell me more about yourself? 

My name is Jannet Vaessen, I am 54 years old and my husband and I live in Schoorl, our two kids study in Amsterdam. After 20 years of leading a dynamic NGO, I wanted to explore ‘change’ more on an academic level. So, when I was invited to join the LHCL research team as a senior research fellow of practice, I gladly accepted. I was trained as a historian in modern history and find it very inspiring to find connections and differences between periods, perspectives, and disciplines to expand knowledge and understanding of the time we live in. 

What will your research at LCHL focus on? 

My research will explore the paradigm shift (towards the concept of diversity) in health care in correlation with the right to health. In my previous job I closely observed how scientific ideas can change society and vice versa and how this impacts professionals, public and society. As a Senior Research Fellow I can ‘re-research’ this, building on academic theories in different disciplines; history, sociology, anthropology, law. 

What inspired you to pursue this particular area of study? 

My former work triggered the question of how law describes human rights so well and nevertheless has different outcomes for different groups, even in the Netherlands. I hope to contribute to discussions on this discrepancy through my LHCL research and provide findings for stakeholders tasked. Overall, I think a red thread in all my work is to explore and show how times are changing and how each of us can play a unique role in that.