Prof. Marije Michel, Ph.D.

Hannah Arendt Fellowship 2026 “Democracy”

Senior Fellowship | Second Language Acquisition, Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT), Second Language Writing Processes

Marije Michel (professor of Second Language Acquisition and chair of Language Learning, European Languages and Cultures, Groningen University, the Netherlands) studied Dutch and German (Utrecht University) and holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics (University of Amsterdam). Her research focuses on cognitive and social aspects of second language (L2) learning and instruction with specific interest in task-based language teaching (TBLT), L2 writing processes, and alignment in digitally mediated communication. She guest-edited special issues on Alignment in SLA (in System), Linguistic Complexity (in Journal of Instructed SLA), Research Methods in L2 Writing Processes (in SSLA) and on Synergies in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (in MLJ). Marije is on the editorial board of amongst others The Modern Language Journal, System, Journal of Writing Research and acts as academic editor of the Journal of Writing Research. She is board member of the International Association of TBLT (IATBLT) and hosted the TBLT2025 Conference at Groningen University.

Prof. Marije Michel, Ph.D., Hannah Arendt Fellow 2026 — © Reyer Boxem

/ Bridges and Borders of Democracy: A Dynamic Investigation into Attitudes and Relationships of German-Dutch Neighbours in the North

After 40 years of free movement within the Schengen Area, at the border between the Netherlands and Germany, we were once again faced with systematic identity checks. Marije Michel, Professor of Second Language Acquisition at Groningen University (GU), will investigate together with Juliana Goschler, Professor of German as a Second Language at the University of Oldenburg (UOL), what this means for residents of the border region, their attitudes towards one another, and their language use.

Over the next six months, Marije Michel will work together with colleague Juliana Goschler on the project entitled ‘Bridges and Borders of Democracy: A dynamic investigation into attitudes and relationships of German-Dutch Neighbours in the North.’ Through this project we want to gain better insight into what happens when you reintroduce physical borders. Not only can this influence democratic values in Europe in general, but it might affects mutual interest and attitudes towards one another, including the idea to learn each others' languages. Something that is important for cross-border understanding.

Strategic partner

Oldenburg University is a strategic partner of the University of Groningen. In that context, Michel has been successfully collaborating for years with colleagues from Dutch Studies (Esther Ruigendijk), German Studies (Juliana Goschler, Kerstin Anders), and the teacher training program via DAAD International (Martin Butler). With the Hannah Arendt Fellowship now awarded to her, she can also strengthen the research line of this collaboration. In addition, the Fellowship will also support cooperation with the University of Göttingen, an ENLIGHT partner of the University of Groningen.

Host

Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, logo

Partner

Prof. Dr Juliana Goschler

Juliana Goschler is a professor of German as a Foreign and Second Language at the University of Oldenburg. She studied German language and literature and history at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where she obtained her PhD in German linguistics in 2006. She subsequently worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the universities of Bremen and Hamburg. Her research focuses on language learning, contrastive linguistics and German language teaching. At the University of Oldenburg, she is responsible for the Master’s programme in ‘German as a Foreign and Second Language’ and has established a new module on language-sensitive teaching for teacher training students across all subjects.