Pyrrhula provides social research consultancy building on a broad network of experienced social researchers. Pyrrhula is specialized in research about engagement in the cultural domain, in the workplace, in education, and in civil society. Playing, working, learning, and volunteering are key forms of engagement that shape the lives of individuals and communities alike.
Pyrrhula specializes in recognizing the role of specific social and cultural factors in engagement. The social networks which people build, e.g., are vital. The people you meet (and their resources) affect the way you participate. A socially more diverse network, brings more options to engage. Cultural factors, such as the beliefs and values people support, also direct the participatory choices people make. Pyrrhula has experience in studying engagement of distinct generations and in signaling emerging forms of engagement that will help shape the future.
Pyrrhula helps organizations devise and finish research projects and often works at the interface of science and practice. See the Projects tab for more info.
Henk founded Pyrrhula, Social Research Network, late 2005. Henk is a sociologist (PhD 1997). In 2010-2011 he joined the Ruud de Moor Centre of the Open University Netherlands. Until late 2009 he also served as a fellow at OSA, Institute for Labour Studies, Utrecht University in the Netherlands. During 2000-2004 he was director of IRIC, Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation at Tilburg University, Netherlands, as the successor of IRICs co-founder/director Geert Hofstede. Before that he was a (senior) research fellow at IVA, Social Research Institute of Tilburg University doing research in the culture and education doimains. He was a visiting scholar at several Japanese and German social research institutes and at the ISR, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
Last updated: December 20, 2011
Download the [PDF]
Vinken, H. (2012). Sociale Activering in Nederland. Conclusies en aanbevelingen uit een recent onderzoek. Tilburg: Pyrrhula, Social Research Network. [PDF]
Vinken, H. (2011, December). From youth culture to street culture in the Netherlands. Paper prepared for the workshop Youth Culture, Identity, and the Public Sphere", Japan Youth Study Group, Sophia University, Tokyo. [PDF][PPT]
Vinken, H. & P. Ester (2011). Social activation policy in the Netherlands. Practices, problems and promises. Tilburg: Pyrrhula, Social Research Network. [PDF]
Vinken, H., Y. Nishimura, B. White & M. Deguchi (Eds.) (2010). Civic engagement in contemporary Japan. Established and emerging repertoires. New York: Springer. [Amazon]
Look at the [website] of the Open University's Ruud de Moor Centre for the full series of research reports on Leraar24 (see Projects for more details on the Leraar24-project)