Katharina Natter Wins the 2025 Gratama Science Award
Migration governance and autocratisation in the Global North and South
On Thursday afternoon, 15 May 2025, the festive presentation of the Gratama Science Award took place at the historic Academy Building in Leiden. In front of an attentive audience, Katharina Natter, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Political Science, received the award for her groundbreaking research on migration policy in democratic and autocratic states.
The Gratama Science Award is an initiative of the Gratama Foundation in collaboration with the Leiden University Fund (LUF), and is awarded every other year to young researchers from Leiden University and the University of Groningen. The prize recognises innovative and socially relevant research and comes with a €20,000 grant. This year’s edition had a special touch, marking the 100th anniversary of the Gratama Foundation.
Migration Policy as a Lens for Political Transformation
In an impressive presentation — her first entirely in Dutch — Katharina Natter explained how her work uses migration policy as a lens through which to understand broader political transformations. Her research reveals that such transformations do not always result in expected policy shifts: in democratising Tunisia, immigration policies remained restrictive, whereas in autocratic Morocco, they became more liberal.
Combining data collection across more than thirty countries with in-depth case studies, Natter explores the complex relationship between migration governance and autocratisation both in the Global North and Global South. Her research provides valuable insights for policymakers and human rights advocates, contributing to a deeper understanding of who is included — and who is excluded — from belonging in a society, as well as how state power is maintained, expanded and challenged. Natter emphasised the importance of connecting science and society: through educational outreach projects, collaborations with think tanks, and public engagement, she aims to make her findings accessible to a broader audience.
The jury praised her innovative perspective, societal relevance, and interdisciplinary approach. “A complex and polarising topic, which she approaches with nuance, depth, and clear relevance for policymaking,” said Reinier Gratama on behalf of the Gratama Foundation.
Runners-Up: Research with Societal Impact
Alongside Natter, Gerlov van Engelenhoven (Faculty of Humanities) and Sebastiaan Haffert (Leiden Observatory, Faculty of Science) were nominated. Van Engelenhoven explores the role of silence in postcolonial memory and heritage, working closely with activists and artists. Haffert develops new astronomical measurement techniques that may push beyond the limits of classical telescope technology — with applications far beyond his own field.
Both runners-up received honourable mentions, flowers, and a cheque for €2,500. Their socially engaged work again highlights the breadth and excellence of Leiden’s emerging research talent.
About the Gratama Foundation and the LUF
The Gratama Foundation was established one hundred years ago by members of the Gratama family, originally to provide scholarships to relatives. Today, the foundation has a broader mission, with a strong focus on supporting young scientific talent. In 2011, the collaboration with the LUF resulted in the first edition of the Gratama Science Award.
The selection process for the award is highly competitive: each faculty may nominate only one candidate. The LUF's independent academic committee, chaired by Joop van Holsteyn, then selects a shortlist. The Gratama Foundation makes the final decision.
An Award with a Legacy — and a Future
That Leiden political scientists have fared well in the past is evidenced by the 2023 edition, when Tom Theuns, Assistant Professor of Political Theory and European Politics, was nominated as a runner-up for his work on democratic legitimacy in the EU.
This year’s award ceremony underscored how young researchers at Leiden University are tackling pressing societal challenges. As Lilian Visscher, Director of Alumni Relations and the Leiden University Fund, remarked in her opening address: this award is not only a financial contribution, but above all a powerful statement affirming the value and impact of academic research.
