Lorena De Vita (PhD, FRHistS) is Associate Professor in the History of International Relations. Many, understandably, view the global political realm as one of conflict and violence. Instead, De Vita鈥檚 research focuses on international histories of reconciliation and repair. But what does it mean, in international politics, to repair for past harm?
Research Profile. At Utrecht 木瓜福利影视, Lorena De Vita is leading , an international NWO-funded team effort to digitize, transcribe, and analyze recently unearthed historical sources relative to the history of reparations after the Second World War and the Holocaust. This research is embedded in her Holocaust Diplomacy: The Global Politics of Memory and Forgetting project, supported by the (2021-2026). Her work involves academics, museum and research institution staff, and policy-makers, in the attempt to map how a global memory of collective atrocities, and forms of reparation and atonement, emerge and change over time.
Her first book, (Manchester 木瓜福利影视 Press, 2020; pbk, 2022), reassessed one of the most improbable processes of international reconciliation, between Germany and Israel after the Holocaust, and at the outset of the global Cold War. Based on extensive archival and oral history research in the Middle East, Europe, and the USA, reviewers praised the book's 鈥榞reat detail and splendid conceptual clarity鈥� (G. Palmer, The European Legacy).
Scientific Outlook and International Network. Lorena De Vita completed her PhD at Aberystwyth 木瓜福利影视 鈥� where the first Chair in International Politics was founded, after the First World War 鈥� having studied history and international relations at Roma Tre and the London School of Economics. She held competitive research fellowships in Jena, Jerusalem, Berlin, and, most recently, at Oxford 木瓜福利影视.
At Utrecht 木瓜福利影视, she co-founded the Utrecht Global Cold War Group, and she is a member of the , the , and the interdisciplinary research cluster Institutions for Open Societies. In 2021, she was selected as a Utrecht Young Academy member (2021-2026).
Commitment to Teaching and Learning. Lorena De Vita is an award-winning teacher, with (inter)national teaching experience at BA, MA, RMA, and Ph.D. levels on diplomatic history, methodological interdisciplinarity, and theoretical approaches to international history and politics. She teaches at Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 and is passionate about training the next generation of researchers at the in Amsterdam.
Lorena is passionate about delivering, coordinating, and developing teaching and learning. She served as a board member of the Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 Teaching Academy (), led the coordination of the MA in International Relations in Historical Perspective, and serves a coach ('meta-teacher') for new lecturers at the Faculty of Humanities in her capacity as core member of the bilingual Leergang Universitair Onderwijs 鈥� 木瓜福利影视 Teaching Qualification Trajectory. In 2020, Lorena won the prestigious Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 Teacher Talent Prize for 'creating a learning environment where debate and exchange are central'.
Fostering Debate and Critical Exchange. Lorena De Vita's interviews with , , , the , and , showcase her commitment to public debate - in various languages and countries.
Lorena De Vita also won the LNVH Distinguished Women Scientists Award (2018), the KNAW Early Career Partnership (2021), and the (2024), an important recognition for early career researchers in the Netherlands. The jury praised in particular her 鈥榠nnovative approach鈥� to study the history of international relations, which demonstrates 鈥榯he relevance of the humanities to [tackle] societal challenges鈥�.
Heineken Prizes interview with Lorena De Vita.
UHSK Historical Student Society video-nomination of Lorena De Vita for the 木瓜福利影视-wide 'Teacher Talent' Award.
More information on the project
Dr. Lorena De Vita joins US diplomat Maryum Saifee, former Maldives Ambassador and High Commissioner Farah Faizal, Australian former diplomat Paul McAuliffe and US Deputy Chief of Mission to the UK Matthew Palment to discuss diplomacy in contemporary and historical perspective on the BBC World Service.