Biography

Gijsbert Oonk is full professor of Migration, Citizenship and Identity and Research Director of the Department of History, at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC). Oonk is the founding director of the Sport and Nation program and the PI of the Football Makes History network.

Oonk’s research and teaching activities lie in the fields of global history, sport (migration of athletes) and national identity. His publications cover various themes in the field of Sport History, National Identity and Migration and Citizenship, including the Global South. His current and ongoing research focuses on gender, race and national identity at the Modern Olympic Games, the history of football (globally) and the relationship between nationalism, national heroes and national identity.

In 2025 he finalised the programm: “Football Makes History: Schools and Football Club Museums Unlocking Local Heritage education”. We work with 6 partners from five countries (Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Italy and UK). This included 30 team members / developers, from 15 countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Iceland, Italy, Finland, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom). See: https://footballmakeshistory.eu/

He was awarded the Robert Schuman Fellowship for 3 months, for the period 10 October 2022 – 14 January 2023 at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at European Institute in Florence/Italy.

In 2019 Gijsbert Oonk was awarded a Jean Monnet (ad Personam)  Chair on Migration, Citizenship and Identity in September 2019. The Jean Monnet chairs are established by the European Commission as an initiative to promote teaching, research and reflection in the field of European integration studies in higher education institutions. 

In 2015 he received Research Excellent Initiative grant EUR (main applicant and PI) Sport and National Identity: Changing Citizenship and the Global Battle for Talent. After competition with international reviewers. Co-applicants and collaboration with: Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Public Administration and Sociology, the research group Citizenship, Migration & the City (CIMIC): Prof.dr. G.B.M. Engbersen (co-applicant) Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication,Erasmus Research centre for Media Culture and Communication (ERMeCC): Dr. J.C. van Sterkenburg (co-applicant). The project includes the appointment of two PhD students.

His current bookproject: Breaking Boundaries: Gender, Race and National Identity at the Modern Olympic Games.

Key publications

Gijs van Campenhout, Jacco van Sterkenburg & Gijsbert Oonk (2018) Who Counts as a Migrant Footballer? A Critical Reflection and Alternative Approach to Migrant Football Players on National Teams at the World Cup, 1930–2018, The International Journal of the History of Sport, 35:11, 1071-1090, DOI: 10.1080/09523367.2019.1581769

Abstract

Joost Jansen, Gijsbert Oonk & Godfried Engbersen (2018) Nationality swapping in the Olympic field: towards the marketization of citizenship?, Citizenship Studies, 22:5, 523-539, DOI: 10.1080/13621025.2018.1477921

Abstract

Sport and Anti-Semitism

It is Feyenoord’s explicit ambition to eliminate anti-Semitic hate speech from their stadium. In order to do so Feyenoord invites penalised supporters to develop knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust through an educational programme. In this PhD project (Jasmin Seijbel) analyses Feyenoord’s educational programme; it’s opportunities and limitations. She investigates which histories are told and the intended and unintended short- and long-term effects of the programme.

Former projects

South Asians in Diaspora

This project, funded by the Dutch Foundation of Tropical research (NWO/WOTRO), resulted in a monograph: Settled Strangers: Asian Business Elites in East Africa 1800-2000 (Sage Publication 2013). For een open access version see here.

Oonk also edited the book Global Indian Diasporas: Exploring Trajectories of Migration and Theory (Amsterdam University Press, 2007). In this volume the contributors critically review the concept of diaspora. This volume is available as an open access publication.

Societal outreach

Gijsbert Oonk is academic advisor of EUROCLIO, especially of the project: Football makes history.

The overall aim of the project is to contribute to the reduction of the number of people at risk of social exclusion across Europe by pursuing these specific objectives:

• Promote diversity, non-discrimination and equality, including gender equality;
• Innovate formal and non-formal learning leading to social, civic and intercultural competences and critical thinking;
• Support the professional development of educators and youth workers and build the capacity to develop and implement innovative teaching methods;
• Engage cultural heritage for all by accessing the histories, memories and legacies residing in football history in transnational perspectives on all levels;
• Raise public awareness on the role of learning for social inclusion and increase the sharing of innovative practices across the continent.