Vertrouwenskloven overbruggen door middel van toegepaste geschiedenis: historische consultancy voor publieke instellingen in België

Applied history is the central focus of this dissertation, which investigates how historical expertise can support trust-building processes between public institutions and their stakeholders. By embedding historians in institutional settings, applied history is presented as a reflective and co-creative practice that enhances democratic engagement, transparency, and responsiveness. The first chapter develops an ethical framework grounded in social justice, proposing that collaboration with institutions in power is legitimate only when guided by critical reflection and shared responsibility. Rather than a unidirectional transfer of knowledge, applied history is conceptualized as an intersubjective process shaped by dialogue and ethical engagement. Chapter two focuses on methodology. It proposes a shift away from analogical reasoning toward a "uses of the past" approach that not only analyzes how historical narratives circulate within policy contexts, but also pays attention to what is missing, forgotten, or overly simplified. This method critically examines how institutions use—or fail to use—history, including overly quantitative or decontextualized framings. By working collaboratively to make these dynamics visible, the approach fosters co-creation, institutional self-reflection, and shared historical awareness, rather than importing ready-made lessons from the past. Chapter three applies this framework through three institutional case studies: the Flemish Parliament, the Flanders Environment Agency, and the Royal Federation of Belgian Notaries. Each case demonstrates how applied history, when implemented co-creatively, can facilitate narrative change, stimulate institutional self-awareness, and promote inclusive historical engagement. Chapter four presents a case study on drought awareness in Flanders, developed in partnership with the Environment Agency. It focuses on the public memory of 1976—a year marked by both severe drought and floods—and investigates how this memory can be reactivated through historical imagery and narrative. While institutional communication traditionally relies on quantitative data, the study shows that integrating qualitative elements such as shared memory and historical framing enhances climate messaging, deepens public engagement, and supports long-term resilience. This dissertation positions applied history as a practice that combines academic depth with societal relevance, grounded in ethical integrity, methodological reflexivity, and participatory engagement. Built on this foundation, applied history is presented not only as a bridge between public institutions and their stakeholders, but also as a connective framework that narrows the divide between academic and applied historians, and between historians and non-historians.