prof. dr. J. (Jan) van der Harst

Name
Van der Harst, Jan

Date and place of birth
19 December 1957 in The Hague, Netherlands 

Marital state
married, one daughter  

Educational background

Secondary School
Gymnasium, The Hague (1970-1976)

University education
University of Leiden (1976-1983), doctoral exam in contemporary history

Postdoctoral (PhD)
European University Institute, Florence (1983-1986), Thesis: “European Integration and Atlantic Cooperation. Political, military and econo-­mic aspects of Dutch defence, 1948-1954; and the impact of the European Defence Community” (defended on 1 February 1988; supervisor: Prof. A.S. Milward)  

Academic career 

• 1986 - 1987: Department of European Studies, UniversityCollege Cork, Republic of Ireland
• 1987 - : Department of International Relations and IO, University of Groningen
• Since 1996: Holder of the Jean Monnet Chair in the History and Theory of European integration
• Since 2007: Academic director of the Dutch Studies Centre Fudan-Groningen
• Since 2008: Professor in the History and Theory of European Integration
• 2012 - 2016: Head of Department International Relations and International Organization, University of Groningen

Languages

Dutch, English, French, German, Italian  

A selection of various academic activities (in past and present)

• Since 1988: Member of the Dutch academic working group “Buitenlandse Politiek en Europese Integratie”
• Since 1996: Member of the Jean Monnet reflection committee of the European Commission, Brussels
• 1997-1999: Coordinator of the Dutch section of the oral history project “European eye-witnesses, 1945-1975”, organized by the European Commission
• Since 1999: Member of the European Union Liaison Committee of Historians/Groupe de Liaison des professeurs d’histoire auprès de la Commission Européenne
• Since 1999: Member European Centre of Excellence, University of Groningen (in co-operation with the Law and Economics department)
• 1999-2004: Lecturer/trainer in European integration for diplomats and policy-makers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague
• Since 2000: Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of European Integration History (published twice a year)
• September 2005: Keynote speaker at the opening of the Dutch Studies Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
• October 2005: Chief organizer European conference “Beyond the Customs Union: The European Community’s Quest for Widening, Deepening and Completion”, Academiegebouw, University of Groningen
• 2002-2007: Member of the European consortium of historians writing the official history the European Commission, 1958-1972
• From 2007: Academic Director of Dutch Study Centre Fudan-Groningen (formal coperation between the University of Fudan in Shanghai and the University of Groningen)
• Early 2008: Coordinator of special issue of the Journal of European Integration History on the History and Theory of European Integration
• From mid-2008: Research project “Verloren consensus. Europa in het Nederlandse parlementair-politieke debat, 1945-2010)” (in cooperation with the Centrum voor Parlementaire Geschiedenis, Nijmegen, and the Documentatiecentrum voor Nederlandse Politieke Partijen, Groningen)
• From early 2009: Academische supervisie project “Selectieve bronnenuitgave Nederland en de Europese eenwording” (in cooperation with Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken and the Instituut voor Nederlandse Geschiedenis)
• December 2010: Chief organizer international conference “China and the EU”, Aacedemiegebouw, University of Groningen
• From May 2010: Book project on the presidents of the European Commission (together with dr. G. Voerman, DNPP, Groningen)
• Supervisor PhD dissertation project M. Neuman (since 2007)
• Member of the jury PhD defense of A.-C. Lauring Knudsen (European University Institute, Florence, 2001), V. Gavín i Munté (University of Barcelona, 2005), W.H. Weenink (University of Leiden, 2005), N. van der Bijl (University of Groningen, 2007), Chr. Prins (University of Groningen, 2008), M.J. Geary (European University Institute, 2009)  

Areas of academic specialisation

• European integration and co-operation
• Dutch foreign policy
• International Relations history and theory
• China and the European Union

Selection of publications (list of publications)

• Documents on European Union, London, 1997 (with A.G. Harryvan).
• Internationale Organisatie. Samenwerking en regimevorming in de internationale betrekkingen, Assen, 1999 (with A.G. Harryvan and P.M.E. Volten).
• Voor Nederland en Europa. Politici en ambtenaren over het Nederlandse Europabeleid en de Europese integratie, 1945-1975, Amsterdam, 2001 (with A.G. Harryvan and S. van Voorst).
• The Atlantic Priority. Dutch Defence Policy at the time of the European Defence Community, Florence, 2003.
• Uitgerekend Europa. Geschiedenis van de Europese integratie, Amsterdam, 2004 (with J. Hermans and A.G. Harryvan).
• Beyond the Customs Union: The European Community’s Quest for Deeepening, Widening and Completion, 1969-1975, Brussels, 2007
• Max Kohnstamm. Leven en Werk van een Europeaan, Utrecht, 2008 (with A.G. Harryvan).