Health and care in aging societies

Krause’s research addresses the challenges of aging societies: ‘How are we dealing with more people needing care and less people being able to provide this care?’ In doing so, she is interested in how these challenges affect economic inequalities, historical ties, and relations across an unequal globe. ‘Questions of illness, care and aging will only become more urgent. We need sustainable, fair solutions to value care work and allow us to face these challenges together.’ This concerns local care systems, but also daily life in globalized societies.

With her chair, Krause aims to push topics of ‘interrelatedness of health and care beyond the clinic: what we do in one place to stay healthy or receive care, affects the health and well-being in another place. We should furthermore stay open to find health and care in unexpected places: in pubs, churches or mosques, in urban environments, and in how we deal with the environment, and with each other,’ she explains. 

Academic excellence

‘The UvA is home to one of the most interesting and largest anthropology departments in Europe, bringing together fantastic colleagues and attracting great students. It is a privilege to work here,’ says Krause. ‘I also take the terms health and care in my chair seriously in how I want to fulfil this role: the university should be a healthy and caring space. Academic excellence means nothing if we do not care for each other, or if the way we organise our work makes us sick.’