Dr. Irna van der Molen, Lecturer

Name: Dr. Irna van der Molen

E-mail: p.vandermolen@utwente.nl

Phone: +31 53 489 3542

Fax: +31 53 489 4850

Room: Ravelijn 3113

Irna van der Molen (1969) holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration, with a specialization in International Relations and Development Studies from the University of Twente in the Netherlands. Between 1993 and 1996, she worked as researcher and junior consultant for IDEM Consult [IDEM: Institutional Development and Environmental Management], Utrecht and from 1996-1997 for Geoplan International in Amsterdam. As such, she participated in studies for clients, such as the World Bank, OECD/DAC, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands Development Agency), the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment; the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Department for Co-ordination of Emancipation Policies); and GTZ (Germany).

In 2001, she completed her PhD at the University of Twente with the dissertation “Rains, droughts and dreams of prosperity; resourceful strategies in irrigation management and beyond – the Sri Lankan case”. She joined the Technology and Sustainable Development Group in October 2001. She publishes in national and international journals and books, and is member of the editorial board of Dutch Journal ‘Vrede en Veiligheid’ (Peace and Security: Journal for International Issues). She is member of the Research School on Resource Studies (CERES), member of the European Association for Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), member of the scientific advisory board to the Netherlands National Committee IHP-HWRP (UNESCO’s International Hydrological programme), and member of the NWO/WOTRO Thematic Committee for the Research Programme on Conflict and Security.

She has conducted research in Pakistan (1992-1993), Sri Lanka (1997-2000, 2005), Bangladesh (2005) and paid visits to India (1998), Palestinian Occupied Territory (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010), Israel (2008, 2009, 2010) and Egypt (2006) and Lebanon (2008). She has organized and (co-) facilitated and participated in several workshops on conflict mediation and negotiation, both in the Netherlands and abroad (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh). Since 2007, she conducts research in cooperation with the Centre for Conflict Studies, University of Utrecht.

Expertise & Research Interests

Training, education and research in the areas of:

At this moment, research projects are concentrated on conflict and governance in relation to natural resources in the Middle East:

Selected Publications

Overbeek, F. van, Hollander, T., Molen, I. van der; Willems, R., Frerks, G., and Anten, L. (2009).The Fragile States discourse unveiled, Working Paper I written for the Peace, Security and Development Network, Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Molen, I. van der and Stel, N. (2009). Chapter 2: The changing role of the state and state-society relations. Written for the Working group Service Delivery, Multi-stakeholder Processes and State-institutions. 1 November 2009. Integrated in Working Paper 00030 of the Peace, Security and Development Network, March 2010.

Noor, M., Douma, N., Haar, N. van der, Hilhorst, D., Molen, I. van der and Stel, N. (2010). Multi-Stakeholder Processes, Service Delivery and State Institutions: Theoretical framework & Methodologies. March 2010. Working paper 00030 Peace, Security and Development Network.

Molen, I. van der (2009). Shared Aquifer Management: Israel and the Palestinian Territories, Presentation at the conference Resource Governance and Conflict, on invitation by the Netherlands Global Change Committee of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), 29 May 2009.

Molen, I. van der (2008). ‘De Responsibility to protect - een discours in de politieke realiteit’ in Vrede en Veiligheid; tijdschrift voor internationale vraagstukken, Vol. 37 (2) 2008, pp. 1-19. (added)

Nikku, B.R. and Molen, I. van der (2008). ‘Conflict, resistance and alliances in a multi-governance setting: reshaping realities in the Andhra Pradesh irrigation reforms’ in: Energy & Environment • Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 861-875.

Molen, I. van der and Rahman, A. (2007). Disputes over water, natural resources and human security in Bangladesh. Towards a conflict analysis framework. In cooperation with BCAS. In V. Grover (Ed.), Water Conflicts. Oxford and IBH (India): Science Publishers.

Molen, I. van der (2006). Willing to protect? The security of Internally Displaced Persons and the Responsibility to protect. Paper presented at the 56th Annual Pugwash Conference, Cairo, Egypt.

Molen, I. van der (2006). Gender, Land and Water in the Poverty Reduction Strategy and Country Assistance Strategy for Sri Lanka. European Journal of Development Research, 18(2).

Molen, I. van der and Rahman, A. (2006). Disputes over water, natural resources and human security in Bangladesh. Towards a conflict analysis framework. In cooperation with BCAS. In V. Grover (Ed.), Water Conflicts. New Delhi / Enfield: Oxford and IBH (India) / Science Publishers (USA).

Meijer, K., Boelee, E., Augustijn, D. and Van der Molen, I. (2006). Impacts of concrete lining of irrigation canals on availability of water for domestic use in southern Sri Lanka. Agricultural Water Management, 83(3), pp. 243-251.

Molen, I. van der (2006). Vredesopbouw in de schaduw van de oorlogseconomie? In B. Bomert, T. Van den Hoogen & R. A. Wessel (Eds.), Jaarboek Vrede en Veiligheid 2005. Nijmegen: Centrum voor Internationaal Conflict-Analyse & Management.

Molen, I. and Novikova, I. (2005). Mainstreaming gender in the EU-accession process: the case of the Baltic Republics. Journal of European Social Policy, 15(2), 139-156.

Molen, I. van der and Hildering, A. (2005). Water: cause for conflict or cooperation? ISYP Journal on Science and World Affairs, 1(2). [internationally peer-reviewed; http://www.student-pugwash.org/journal/]

Molen, I. van der (2001). Rains, droughts and dreams of prosperity. Resourceful strategies in irrigation management and beyond – The Sri Lankan case. Enschede: University of Twente.