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Pick our Brains - Dr. Coline van Everdingen

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Dr. Coline van Everdingen - Title: Mutual learning on user - system interactions can foster social pathways toward thriving for all.

The Pick our Brains sessions of the Maastricht Centre for Human Rights are for both PhD students and more senior members of our Centre and members of other research centres and universities. These sessions are intended as a mode of intellectual stimulation and exchange, or to potentially promote collaborations within/outside the Centre. The sessions are also designed as an opportunity to get feedback on ongoing/upcoming research, showcase recent research and events at which you presented, as well as to enable an exchange of scholarly ideas. Each session contains a short presentation and a lively debate. A small lunch is provided as well. 

These sessions will take place physically and online. The Teams link for the online sessions will be distributed later.  

On 22 January our speaker is Dr. Coline van Everdingen (Maastricht University, FHML). The title of the presentation is Mutual learning on user - system interactions can foster social pathways toward thriving for all.

Dr. Coline van Everdingen: 
Born in Roermond (1968), I became a MD at Maastricht University (1993). After appointments at rheumatology, internal medicine and rehabilitation departments, I became active in the field of public health (1997).

For long, I was active in the access to healthcare and welfare services. Because of my background, I’m trained in health and care needs assessments. Since 2001, I’m holding a registration as a public health specialist. Familiar with quality-of-care monitors, I’m also aware of the tensions between policy intentions and implementation practices. In 2009, I transferred my role in individual-focused care to community initiatives. My experiences working within the self-governing communities of Peel and Maas sparked a lasting interest in understanding how care processes unfold across different networks.

Since 2015, I’m conducting research among disadvantaged citizen groups in society. My research takes aim at the question how we can work effectively on fair space for life. Recently, I obtained my PhD at Maastricht University. Based on ethnographic research among Dutch homeless service users, my doctoral thesis is entitled “Fair space: social pathways toward thriving for all”.

For more information about my research and background, see my doctoral thesis (http://doi.org/10.26481/dis.20251120je)

Dr. Coline van Everdingen (UM - FHML)

Abstract: 
In the next Pick our Brains session on 22 January 2026, Dr. Coline van Everdingen will present a rights-based pattern-oriented strategy for examining what happens in the interactions between disadvantaged, disabled citizen groups and their environments. Coline’s research focuses on health inequity, and the main findings of her research lie among Dutch homeless services users. Despite best intentions, extensive evidence and ratified human rights treaties, the user–system interactions uncover a systemic failure to match vital needs of the neediest. Our rights-based ecosystem approach leads to the root causes of unfairness, inherent in the healthcare system and culture. The hopeful results also uncover how mutual learning processes can foster social pathways toward thriving.

In the debate on this topic, two themes are central. First, we will explore similar patterns in user-system interactions around other disadvantaged, disabled citizen groups. Then, we will explore the opportunities stemming from such an approach. What is at stake? What does it mean for our roles in this field?

We look forward to welcoming you to the next Pick our Brains session of the Maastricht Centre for Human Rights in C1.310

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