Paul van den Hoven is Professor of Language and Communication at Utrecht University. His research concerns the relation between socially and ideologically motivated rhetoric. Paul is dean of the Professional School of the Arts Utrecht (PSAU). He is not a specialist on community arts or community theatre, but an interested outsider looking in. Among other things he moderated a session on community opera during the YO-festival in 2005 and now supervises a group of BA-graduates that research the community arts.