T. van Gaalen MA (Thomas)

Thomas van Gaalen's research interests combine histories of activism, cultural and political history, and social movement studies. As a PhD candidate at the Radboud Institute for Culture and History, he analyzes how the idea of international solidarity – an idea that remains relevant in light of today’s increasingly global challenges – was shaped and contested in the active exchanges that existed between early 20th century socialists from Europe, the Caribbean and North-America. Researching the transatlantic dimension to these socialist discussions will shed light on neglected approaches to international solidarity, and may open up new avenues towards exploring and formulating international cooperation suited to tackle today’s challenges. The project, which is supervised by prof. dr. Frank Mehring, dr. Harm Kaal and prof. dr. Jaap Verheul, integrates digital as well as non-digital tools.