Henk den Uijl is the new endowed Professor of Philosophy of Governance and Policy
The University of Humanistic Studies has appointed Henk den Uijl as Professor by Special Appointment of Philosophy of Governance and Policy with effect from 1 November. The chair, established by the Netherlands School of Public Administration (NSOB), explores how philosophy can contribute to the practice of governance and policy. Central to this is the normative question: what does it mean to do the right thing in governance? Den Uijl is exploring this question through the conceptual development of the notion of practical wisdom.
Philosopher Henk den Uijl: “It is hugely important that the question of good governance does not receive merely a technical answer. Governance and public administration have a normative dimension that is currently being rediscovered. I find it rewarding and an honour to contribute precisely to this through my philosophical research: what, in fact, constitutes good governance? How can one find a firm footing in this within a political and social context characterised by division? The classical virtue of practical wisdom, or prudence, can provide guidance here, and I would like to give this more form and substance in our time.”
Rector Joke van Saane: “The chair will contribute to deepening and broadening value-driven research at the University of Humanistic Studies into issues of democracy and governance. Given the major challenges society currently faces in this area, this chair could not have come at a better time.”
Good public governance is vital for democracy
The special chair has been established by the Netherlands School of Public Administration (NSOB), an inter-university training institute that has been developing and delivering executive training programmes for many decades, whilst also investing in both academic and practice-oriented research.
Public debate today is strongly characterised by polarisation and discontent, whilst democracy and the rule of law depend precisely on a well-functioning, authoritative and confidence-inspiring public administration. According to Myrte Ferwerda, Director-General of the NSOB, the chair therefore ties in perfectly with this: “The NSOB is a place where practice and academia meet. By funding this chair, we are creating scope to further develop the conceptual framework of the notion of practical wisdom – in the context of a well-functioning, authoritative and trustworthy public administration. We therefore look forward to deepening our collaboration with the UvH.”
About Henk den Uijl
Dr Henk den Uijl (1987) studied business administration and philosophy in Groningen and at VU University Amsterdam, and was awarded his PhD by VU University Amsterdam for his research into practical wisdom in governance and supervision. Since 2019, Henk has been working at the Netherlands School of Public Administration. There, he is involved in executive education across various programmes and works on research projects in the fields of local politics, social stability, education, healthcare and citizenship.
His research interests include themes such as moral responsibility, power, bureaucracy and the relationship between the state and civil society. He has published extensively in the fields of governance, philosophy and oversight. His social commitment is evident not only from his publications and his teaching to professionals, but also from his association with the JP van den Bent Foundation (care for people with disabilities), where he has been a member of the supervisory board since 2021. Henk is also editor of the Filosofie-Tijdschrift and a columnist for the Nederlands Dagblad.