Prof. dr. Judi Mesman

2017 – current: Professor of Interdisciplinary Study of Societal Challenges, Leiden University

2013 – 2017: Professor of Diversity in Parenting and Development, Leiden University

2009 – 2012: Professor of Parenting and Education in the Multicultural Society (special chair), Leiden University

30 PhDs completed as supervisor (of which 3 as co-supervisor)

Personal website

Administrative experience

• Chair of the Supervisory Board of Edukans (2023 – present)
• Member of the Supervisory Board of the Netherlands Youth Institute (2023 – present)
• Chair of the Advisory Committee on Appointments of the Council for Culture (2023 – present)
• Board member of the Praemium Erasmianum foundation (2021 - present)
• Dean Leiden University College The Hague (2016 – 2022)
• Scientific Director Institute Education and Child Studies, Leiden University (2013-2016)
• Co-leader of the National Science Agenda themed route ‘Youth, Parenting, Development, and Education (2015 – current)
• Co-leader of the Leiden university profile area Health, Prevention, and  the Human Lifecycle van (2015-2016)
• Department chair of the Centre of Child and Family Studies,  Leiden University (2008-2012)

Honors / grants:

• Member of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (since 2018)
• Member of the Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen (since 2015)
• Ca. € 12 million of competitive research grants obtained, including:
• NWO Stevinpremie (2021)
• ERC Consolidator grant (2016)
• ERC Starting grant (2009)
• NWO Vici (2017)
• NWO Vidi (2009)
• NWO Veni (2004)
• Excellent Teacher award, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University (2011)
• Excellent Teacher award, Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University (2008)

Scholarly expertise:

• Social (in)justice
• Youth, upbringing, education
• Critical decolonization

Key publications:

Science: 

Mesman, J., De Bruijn, Y., Van Veen, P.D., Pektas, F., & Emmen, R.A.G. (2022). Maternal Color-Consciousness is Related to More Positive and Less Negative Attitudes towards Ethnic-Racial Outgroups in Children in White Dutch Families. Child Development, 93 (3), 668-680.

Mesman J. (2021), Attachment theory’s university claims: asking different questions. In: Thompson R.A., Simpson J.A. & Berlin L.J. (red.) Attachment: the fundamental questions. New York: Guilford Press. 245-251.

Mesman J. & Groeneveld M.G. (2018), Gendered parenting in early childhood: Subtle but unmistakable when you know where to look, Child Development Perspectives 12(1): 22-27.

Mesman J., Minter T., Angnged A., Cissé I.A.H., Salali G.D. & Bamberg Migliano A. (2018), Universality Without Uniformity: A Culturally Inclusive Approach to Sensitive Responsiveness in Infant Caregiving, Child Development Research 89(3): 837-850.

Popular science:

Mesman, J. (2021). Opgroeien in kleur. Opvoeden zonder vooroordelen. Amsterdam: Balans.