Selma Zijlstra (1985-2023) was a Dutch anthropologist.
In 2009, she graduated with honours in Conflict Studies and Human Rights from Utrecht University, having written her thesis on the impact of conflict on women's emancipation in Nepal. She then became a PhD candidate in Anthropology and Development at Radboud University in Nijmegen. Her research focused on mining and advocacy for land rights, as well as the relationships between civil society, social movements, communities, businesses, and the government in coastal Kenya (Kilifi and Kwale), particularly with regard to expropriation by mining companies and its environmental impact.
Zijlstra had an interdisciplinary background in international relations, conflict studies, human rights, anthropology and development studies. In her research, she sought to combine qualitative and quantitative methods, approaching research results with empathy. With seven years of experience in journalism, she was passionate about visual and narrative representations of research and also took photographs.
Selma was a former editor for Vice Versa. At Vice Versa she wrote about non-violent resistance and women's rights, mostly focusing on Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe's eastern borders.
She passed away on 23 September 2023, aged 38.
