PhD defence Iris Wierstra
On Wednesday, 11 February 2026, Iris Wierstra will defend her thesis entitled ‘Healthcare chaplaincy’s professionalism: Navigating the ambiguous and contested role of worldview’.
The defence will take place at 1:30 p.m. in the Leeuwenbergh (Servaasbolwerk 1a, Utrecht). It will be followed by a reception. You can register for the reception via an online form. On this form, you can also indicate whether you would like to receive a PDF of the thesis as soon as it becomes available.
About the thesis
The central question in the thesis is: How does philosophy of life relate to the professionalism of chaplaincy in Dutch healthcare in the context of secularisation and pluralisation?
Two important findings from Iris Wierstra’s research are:
- There is no clear-cut relationship between philosophy of life and professionalism. Although there is broad agreement that philosophy of life plays a central role, opinions differ on what that role looks like – sometimes even in conflicting ways. Philosophy of life appears to be a constant and controversial area of negotiation, ambiguity and tension, which shapes professionalism in different ways.
- Philosophy of life and professionalism can be integrated into structured, methodical work, for example through the structured method In dialogue with your life story. My research shows that this conversation method does not necessarily instrumentalise the work of spiritual carers, but can actually enrich it and provide space for philosophical care.
More information about the conversation method can be found on Palliaweb.