2 oct 2025

The University of Humanistic Studies has appointed Elvira Loibl as Professor of Recognition, Dialogue and Recovery following Intercountry Adoption. The endowed chair has been established by INEA, the centre of expertise on intercountry adoption. Elvira Loibl will focus both on research into the recognition of past abuses relating to intercountry adoption and on how healing can take place, at both an individual and a societal level.

Relational perspective

The chair is based at the University of Humanistic Studies (UvH) in Utrecht. The chair operates on the basis of the Transformative Justice approach, which is an approach adopted by the Historical Memory and Transformative Justice research group at the UvH. “This framework focuses on the question of under what conditions measures of recognition and redress can truly make a difference to the lives of those who have been victims of historical injustice, including their loved ones and descendants,” says Professor Nicole Immler: “It is a relational perspective based on the idea that recognition and redress are systemic. This means that the perspectives of those affected and those involved, as well as the role of institutions, form part of the research. A relational perspective demonstrates how problems from the past continue to have an impact. From this vantage point, we examine what is needed now and in the future.” (UvH.nl, 2 oct 2025)

Read more about Elvira Loibl’s Endowed Chair on uvh.nl.