The goal of the NIAS-NSvP fellowship is to support innovative research that contributes to the body of knowledge with respect to the future of the labour market and the value of work. Wilthagen will hold the fellowship in Amsterdam from February to June 2020. He will work within the NIAS academic community, where disciplines interact and ‘slow science’ is paramount, with the aim to develop models of a more inclusive labour market.
Although the economy is strong and labour is in short supply, there is an under-utilized labour force of potentially 1.1 million people. The hypothesis of the research project is that participation in paid work is ‘worth’ far more than just the sum of labour and wages. People in work feel healthier and happier and have wider networks than people who are not in work. Moreover, society has a need for products and services that are currently not on offer and are not counted as work. This is why an integrated model – a business case – is needed to relate and analyse the costs and benefits of labour participation as well as non-participation in order to provide a basis on which new structures can be developed.
In his project, Wilthagen links science to society. His search for a labour market that includes more people will be carried out in cooperation with a large number of societal stakeholders as well as cities such as Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Tilburg. This project should lead to symposia, debates, an authoritative publication and models and methods for practical application.
Ton Wilthagen is Professor of Institutional and Legal Aspects of the Labour market at the Tilburg School of Law, Department of Public Law and Governance and he is also one of the leads of Tilburg University’s Impact Programme.
“NIAS en NSvP kennen Ton Wilthagen Fellowship toe voor ‘waardevolle toekomst voor werk’” (Tilburg University)