Secure Societies impact coalition

In a rapidly changing world, the impact coalition Secure Societies is working to build resilient and secure societies.

A resilient and secure society

Security is a fundamental need for people and societies, but in today’s world, it is anything but guaranteed. Rapid technological and digital developments, along with increasing globalisation, are leading to more complex threats, both internal and external. These include the influence of social media on tensions and conflicts, the rise of cybercrime and the increasingly complex financial ties between legitimate and illicit activities.

These dynamics expose our society to forces we often only partially understand – or sometimes fail to grasp entirely. This uncertainty fuels feelings of distrust, unease and insecurity.

Working together to solve societal security issues

To address these complex security challenges, we first need to understand them. This can only be achieved by collaborating with various stakeholders, including citizens, civil society organisations, businesses, government and academia. A central network is essential to facilitate this cooperation, and in this context, the VU-UT impact coalition Secure Societies plays a key role.

This coalition is dedicated to gathering, developing and sharing knowledge about societal security issues. It is essential for both law enforcement and academia to collaborate in achieving this goal.

Our ambitions

  • We conduct long-term, sustainable research on societal security issues, always with a forward-thinking approach.
  • We collect, develop and share knowledge, prioritising collaboration and a strong socio-technical approach: our research covers both technological and social innovations.
  • We take an interdisciplinary approach, connecting different fields and fostering (inter)national partnerships.
  • We work closely with practitioners, recognising that people, motivation and resources are critical to success.
  • We make a measurable impact, through our research, societal contributions and (post-)academic education.

Focus areas

Within Secure Societies , we focus on five key areas that, collectively, contribute to building a resilient and secure society:

The citizen perspective

The citizen perspective is crucial for understanding and solving complex societal issues. However, this viewpoint is often overlooked, leading to solutions that may look good on paper but fail to be effective in practice.

To ensure our solutions have real-world impact, we actively incorporate the citizen perspective into our research and projects. By engaging with individuals and communities, we ensure that our efforts are grounded in real-world experiences and needs.

Crisis management

A crisis happens when an emergency disrupts society. The course of a crisis is often shaped by the response of authorities.

We conduct research on the interaction between authorities, stakeholders and affected communities to better understand these dynamics and, where possible, improve them. We examine various methods and organisational structures, evaluating them not just for their effectiveness but also for both intended and unintended consequences.

We also work on improving policy interventions, such as the use of early warning systems.

Undermining

When criminals exploit legal services, the line between the criminal underworld and legitimate society becomes increasingly blurred. This leads to intimidation, extreme violence and corruption, gradually eroding the foundations of our society.

To develop sustainable interventions, we first need to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of undermining. To achieve this, we are exploring the social, economic and legal consequences, including investigating ways to quickly detect drug labs using sniffer drones.

Polarisation

Polarisation is often a visible consequence of crises. The growing division between groups disrupts a society that relies on cooperation, trust and empathy.

We aim to understand the underlying processes of polarisation to better prevent and counteract social unrest. To achieve this, we investigate the psychological, sociological, technological and political factors at play.

We also experiment with techniques such as virtual reality to foster empathy and bridge societal divides.

The future of the police profession

We explore how emerging technologies shape the future of policing and how law enforcement can adapt effectively. This includes understanding how police engage with social media and big data, as well as how to effectively integrate new technologies into their daily operations.

Contact us

Secure Societies Impact Coalition

prof.dr. J. van Stekelenburg (Jacquelien)
prof.dr. E. Giebels (Ellen)
dr. J. Jonas (Jiska)

See related pages

Secure Societies: broader, more inclusive, more resilient

Secure Societies is expanding its focus to strengthen societal resilience, with an emphasis on inclusivity and collaboration.

VR and AI in victim-offender mediation

In this interview, you’ll read how VR and AI can improve mediation between victims and offenders, preventing escalation of conflicts.

Knowledge centre for societal security issues

Discover how the Secure Societies impact coalition addresses societal security challenges with multidisciplinary research and innovative solutions.
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