Amarins Jansma has a background in social psychology and obtained her PhD with Kees van den Bos and Beatrice de Graaf. Her dissertation was titled “Climate Justice, Now! Why activists break the law, block roads, and damage property to protect the earth.” Now, as a postdoc at Adapt! in the department of governance and organisation science, she is broadening her research to include other groups who feel abandoned by their government. She explores how distrust in institutions and feelings of injustice can be both constructive and harmful in open societies, and how these dynamics play a central role in how people respond to and navigate crises.
What she particularly enjoys about working at Adapt! is the interdisciplinary approach. She loves listening to stories from historians and collaborating with her colleagues in public governance. This collaborative aspect is what appeals to her the most.
Interestingly, her childhood dream job was to be a musician, and she sees quite a few similarities with what she does now. Research involves creativity, performance, and learning how to reach different audiences. Presenting on a big stage isn’t so different from performing—although she hasn’t quite found the courage to sing her research results… yet.
Daily, Amarins draws a lot of inspiration from the people around her: her friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. Recently, she watched the film One Battle After Another by Paul Thomas Anderson, which left a strong impression on her because of its political focus on resistance and rebellion, combined with its dark humor.
One personal trait that feels indispensable in her work is her ability to move between people, places, and perspectives. She enjoys working closely with others, spending time out in the “field,” and bringing together ideas from different research areas. Adapting to new contexts and collaborators isn’t a challenge for her; it is a fun and essential part of what she does.
In one sentence, her research focuses on societal discontent and the interaction between citizens and institutions in times of crisis, ranging from protest and conflict to the restoration of trust and justice. The next step in her research begins this spring with a new photovoice project in the Adapt! living labs. Through participatory action research, she will be working alongside vulnerable communities, using photography as a tool to reflect on everyday experiences and to help increase trust in themselves, in other people, and in local institutions.
As for a typical day in her life, there is no such thing. Looking back on the past period, the achievement she is most proud of is becoming a mother. In a few years, she hopes her research will offer clearer insights into how we can address the harmful effects of societal discontent—like exclusion, dysfunctional distrust, and violence—while preserving its constructive sides, such as critical citizenship, solidarity, and peaceful protest. She wants to explore this within two urgent transitions: sustainability in response to the climate crisis, and democratic renewal in an increasingly polarized society, with trust between citizens and government at the center. Alongside this, she aims to further develop citizen science as a core part of her work, staying true to her ability to move between people, places, and perspectives.