Results for “no problem!”

When the new Dutch cabinet took office in 2006, tackling the problem of deprived areas was high on its agenda. This was in response to the electorate's evident demand for positive solutions to crime and the general sense of insecurity. Dur...

This week's Friday Verses are written by Els Moors, who was appointed National Poet of Belgium from 2018 until 2020. We translated her poem ‘everything’s sold or given away’.

Words become outlawed, and people with different opinions soon accuse the other party of engaging in ‘framing’. Are the language police just round the corner?

Have you ever wondered where those cargo bikes come from?

Flanders' most colourful and most cosmopolitan rocker turned 70.

The Antwerp Jesuits understood the art of persuasion. In the seventeenth century, they called on none other than Rubens to create a unique series of paintings. The three-part exhibition Baroque Influencers relays their story through a numbe...

The internationally renowned essayist has been awarded the Golden Quill for his contribution to the international political debate and his outstanding service to the Dutch language.

Just going by today’s headlines, the end of Western democracy seems imminent. However, is a crisis not the essence of a democracy?

In her debut novel, Ananda Serné seizes upon a badly sleeping woman's search for footing to gently wake up the reader herself.

Linguist Marten van der Meulen is fascinated by a special phenomenon: the Escher sentence. And although it can drive you crazy, he is happy to provide some tips on how to create ambiguous sentences.

Where are the official apologies for the sufferings the Dutch and Belgians caused in their former colonies?

Is the protagonist of Yves Petry’s eighth novel just a raving madman? Or does he have a point, with his philosophical and societal statements? Mainly mad, we are led to conclude.

The Dutch writer and visual artist Nicole Montagne is searching for 'imaginary lonelinesses' with, among others, Hopper, Spilliaert and the 'unknown girl from the Seine River'.

Even spelling can be important in the war of Ukraine, writes linguist Marten van der Meulen. This is why he will never again refer to the embattled capital city as Kiev.

The heroes of recent Dutch-language books for children and young adults act in groups, differ from the norm and are no longer all white. That’s a win, according to Professor Yra van Dijk and Lecturer Marie-José Klaver.

Is there such a thing as typical Dutch or Flemish humour? And if so, what are the differences and similarities?

A captivating debut about a son who may want to break away from his mother, but gradually understands that this is impossible.

In our book 'Standing Tall in Babel. Languages in Europe' (2007) Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk wrote an essay on her mother tongue, Polish. Or is it her father tongue?

Linguist and Professor of Dutch Marc van Oostendorp debunks the consensus that Dutch would be a pluricentric language.

Get to know Amsterdam and its inhabitants through its carved façade stones decorating the canalside houses.

Hind Fraihi warns us of the growing influence of ‘a second generation of Salafist organizers’.

Younes Laaguidi made a poetic film after the poem ‘Houston we have a problem’ by Lotte Dodion.

‘Conceptual engineering’ tries to improve the way we speak about concepts. But is it possible to ‘improve’ language? And if so, how should we go about it?

Right-wing extremism and Muslim extremism penetrate deeper into society, even into institutions. Meanwhile a much larger problem is overshadowed: inequality.

Seventy-five years after the declaration of Indonesian independence, it is high time for apologies to be made at the level of government, and for a national memory that is more inclusive.

In her debut novel Caroline van Keeken subtly sketches a portrait of an unhappy, dysfunctional family.

Anne Marijn Voorhorst looks at a mustard pot made by Jean Baptiste Claude Odiot around 1819.

The importance of the resistance during World War II doesn’t form part of the Belgian collective memory. That’s remarkable, as the resistance represents an impressive achievement.

Hind Fraihi argues that the Decolonise Movement should face its own excesses and focus on real problems, like institutional racism.

Hind Fraihi believes that we have to face the reality of Islamist street terrorism and eradicate it using both hard and soft approaches.

From systemic teacher shortages to declining language skills, education in Flanders and the Netherlands faces similar problems. So, what can they learn from each other?

The Netherlands celebrates extensively that women are allowed to vote there since 1919. Yet the struggle is far from over.

By 2050, Wadden Island Texel will be one of the driest places in the Netherlands. Local farmers are now combining ancient knowledge with innovative techniques to retain freshwater and prevent soil salinisation.

In her essay ‘Connection in Confusion’, Hind Fraihi gives Vooruit Arts Centre in Ghent some suggestions on how it should deal with a world that is becoming increasingly diverse and colourful.

Seventy-five years on from the end of World War II, the differences between Belgium and the Netherlands from an economic perspective are significant and growing.

Migration offers good pickings for populists, while those who take an honest look at the subject find they are up against a headwind. A double interview with migration specialists.

Thanks to two biographies published at the same time, the Dutch physicist and Nobel Prize winner Hendrik Lorentz finally gets the attention he deserves.

In Flemish actress Maaike Neuville's successful debut novel, her experience of theatre comes through in the precision of her sentences.

The Dutch author absorbs influences from all major comic book traditions and aims her work at an eminently international audience.

With a mere 58 cm, Manneken Pis has grown from a fountain into the symbol of Brussels, known throughout the world.

According to journalist Huib Modderkolk, the Belgian and Dutch governments are taking nowhere near enough protective measures against digital hacking and sabotage.

How can we counteract the decline in reading, especially among young people? Former publisher Henk Pröpper has a message for politicians.

According to historian Benjamin Kaplan, the new English translation of the most read Dutch history book will attract new generations of readers.

How to deal with Dutch words, concepts and expressions that simply cannot be translated into another language?

Which objects are we talking about exactly? Who claims them? And what should be done with them in the country of origin?

The Netherlands and Belgium lead the way in terms of granting equal rights to transgender citizens in Europe. But the daily struggle against discrimination continues.

What has happened to the East Germans since 9 November 1989? They had celebrated the prompt reunification with exuberant joy. However today, the gap between East and West still exists.

Even in the Low Countries, not everyone is convinced that the anniversary should be celebrated with much fanfare.

The Ghent-born American inventor of Bakelite brought science and industry closer together.

Students from two British Universities translated an excerpt from a theatre production by Flemish actor, writer, rapper and podcaster Rashif El Kaoui.

A young, progressive generation is genuinely interested in Belgium’s colonial past, mainly because they realise that the origin of today’s racism can often be found in this period.

This Easter weekend our video poetry project 'Bewogen Verzen' kicked off with an inspiration session in Amsterdam.

To keep, to remove, or to tuck away in a museum? In his book on statues in the public space, ex-curator Ton Quik does not shy away from the difficult questions.

Four leading Dutch historians call for insights from the past to be used to defeat today's pandemic.

The anxieties around the status of the language we speak, find a precedent in the nineteenth-century Netherlands.

Veneboer wrote a dialogue in response to a portrait of Toussaint Louverture, leader of the Haitian independence movement during the French Revolution.

Confronted with challenging societal, historical and ethical questions, many museums are trying to redefine their role. MSK Director Manfred Sellink makes some proposals.

In his call to remain alert to a new anti-Semitism, Dutch writer Arnon Grunberg referred to the Holocaust during National Remembrance Day. According to Hind Fraihi, he shouldn't have done that.

His experience as a jury member in a criminal trial led writer Peter Vermeersch to delve into alternatives to imprisonment, and to discover a world that was far removed from naïve dreams or bizarre utopias.

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is presenting artist's portraits in an exhibition on identity and image.

When Flemish author Dimitri Verhulst (Aalst, 1972) took the literary world by surprise with his tragicomic autobiographical novel The Misfortunates (De helaasheid der dingen) in 2006 he was still a complete unkown. Of the nine books he had...

Teachers and students see that their schools are keeping up with the times. ‘Parents are seeing art education as a good choice.’

Substantially declining student numbers, reduced social status, dropping budgets: Dutch studies is encountering heavy weather.

Belgium has an interim minority government to deal with the corona crisis. The emergency has exacerbated the division in the country. Will Belgium fall apart, or is it actually a laboratory for Europe?

The yellow and blue Benelux trains symbolise a long love affair between the two cities.

Should we consider the increasing anglicization of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders a good or bad evolution?

The company that "bought" Manhattan was based in a handsome classical building that is still standing on the Herenmarkt in the heart of Amsterdam.

Between 1816 and 1919, Neutral Moresnet was a geographical curiosity on the border triangle between Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

The young Dutch artist has built up a diverse oeuvre in which language is increasingly prominent both as a theme and as a medium.

Regardless of how long NATO remains standing, strengthening military cooperation between European countries is essential.

What makes you a mother? Fen Verstappen looks for answers in her touching debut novel ‘Moeder af’.

On 11 October 2009, the Flemish missionary, known as Father Damien, was declared a saint for his extraordinary service in caring for the lepers on the Hawaiian island of Molokai in the 19th Century.

The English language has many names and expressions in which the word Dutch is used. Its meaning is often negative.

If you’re not Dutch, you’re not much. Does that vision correspond with how other people view the inhabitants of the Low Countries and their language? Or is the picture more nuanced?

On 31 March 2020, we celebrated Marga Minco’s 100th birthday. Her oeuvre is an incessant attempt to come to terms with the war past by constantly creating new literary variants of it.

From Nazi Germany to the current refugee crisis: Hind Fraihi argues antisemites have always found ways to blame the Jews.

Twenty-four Flemish writers and poets wrote each other letters during the first weeks of the coronavirus lockdown. This is the correspondence between Jeroen Olyslaegers and Siel Verhanneman.

Dutch is a pluricentric language. That raises the question of which variety of Dutch foreign students might be offered.

A new biography gives the seventeenth-century Dutch astronomer and inventor the credit he deserves.

The bad boy of Dutch cinema came to the Cannes Film Festival to please with a lesbian nun drama.

In his bestseller, the award-winning Dutch non-fiction writer searches for answers to anthropology’s most fundamental questions.

Dairy cows are social beings that communicate with each other and with humans. However, sociolinguistics has paid little attention to this kind of interaction. Leonie Cornips aims to shed light on this through her language research on cows.

The Dutch artist is not afraid to unravel the loose threads that constitute the fabric of society.

The artistic diversity of comic strips in the Low Countries is greater than ever. Yet it is becoming increasingly difficult to earn a living wage. There is still a market for illustrators. But for the makers of comic strips, the possibilit...

Rembrandt studies are a nerve-racking field. It is nearly impossible to write a proper paragraph about the artist or his work without stepping on the toes – or kicking the shins, depending on your mood – of a colleague. Part of this is due ...

Many European rulers gave speeches during the corona crisis. How did they infuse their words with power? What meanings did Willem-Alexander’s concerned look and Filip’s stiff facial expression lend to their messages? And who gave the best s...

Tourism is increasingly becoming more of a curse than a blessing in Amsterdam, Bruges, Maastricht and numerous other places in the Low Countries.

The Low Countries' view of the United States has gradually changed from admiration to sadness and frustration.

After 1945, Belgium and the Netherlands rolled out a monumental social security system that brought prosperity and emancipation. Today, this welfare state has come under pressure.

Femke Vindevogel has written a blackly comic tale about a quest for one’s true self on the disadvantaged side of town.

The Flemish government has proposed severe cuts in arts funding over the next few years. In 2011, the cultural sector in the Netherlands was forced to make do with a budget cut of about 200 million euro. What can the Flemish artists learn f...

The far right uses social media as a sort of pulpit from which to lash out without restraint against the left and society’s alleged excesses.

Eighteen young writers have brought artefacts from the Rijksmuseum to life. Dagmar Dirkx looks at the painting 'Monk Meditating near a Ruin by Moonlight' by Frederik Marinus Kruseman.

Thierry Baudet and Dries Van Langenhove receive far more attention from the media than is justified by their importance.

Author Daniel Rovers thinks there is something wrong with the way loneliness is often written about.

Flemish and Dutch people have a totally different relationship with their language. Editor-in-chief Luc Devoldere explains why.

Nxt Museum represents both a new museum for Amsterdam and an art institution for a new generation.

Jacoba of Bavaria, Countess of Hainaut, Holland and Zeeland, was a strong leader but went down with power-hungry men, even from her own family.

Writer Aster Berkhof has passed away. For a long time, he was one of the most read authors in Flanders. What should we remember of his oeuvre?

No house is more Dutch than the terraced house. Yet this type of architecture has only recently come to be valued as it should. Time to redress the balance.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen made its depot fully accessible to the public. It delivers a special experience in a new architectural icon.

Roland Gunst – half Flemish, half Congolese – uses installations, performances, film and video to explore the search for his own identity.

'Seeking a cross-border measuring tool', a study of the interconnectedness in the Flemish-Dutch theatre sector.

Teaching material should exhibit diversity, according to policy organisations such as UNESCO. But textbooks for newcomers in Flanders and the Netherlands are lagging behind in diversity terms.

Meet the man who has proved for six albums now that West Flemish is a great dialect to sing pop songs in.

Hannes Dedeurwaerder's semi-autobiographical debut novel about his upbringing in the Pentecostal community is an unusual glimpse into an otherwise closed world.

As a socially desirable phenomenon, laughter is the paragon of happiness. But what if that laugh cannot be sustained?

The Dutch critics unanimously proclaimed her poetry debut a masterpiece.

Meet one of the Netherlands’ most exciting contemporary composers.

Eating herring is a Dutch tradition. This silvery, slimy fish is even part of their national identity, thanks to a myth about a humble herring fisherman.

International interest in Dutch sources is huge and, thanks to digitalisation, there are more texts available than ever. But human know-how is lagging behind technological progress.

The exhibition 'Ode to Antwerp' at Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht explicitly presents old masters from the Low Countries and not from Holland or Flanders.

The boundary between their own lives and acting is intentionally kept thin by the members of theater collective Wunderbaum.

At the beginning of the First World War, one million Belgians fled to the Netherlands. “More so than the Afghans, Ukrainians now are more similar to Belgian refugees back then.”

The work of the Flemish priest and poet Guido Gezelle has repeatedly been linked with both British and American literature and culture. And not without reason.

Was the Dutch writer really such an anti-colonial rebel? And what about his preference for young girls?

After the First World War, architect Huib Hoste helped rebuild the Flemish Westhoek. But his innovative ideas quickly clashed with residents and their yearning for the past.

Marieke Lucas Rijneveld is the youngest writer to win the International Booker Prize, which celebrates the finest fiction translated into English from around the world.

John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, asserted himself as the dominant power broker in the Low Countries of the late 14th, early 15th century, showing the ever-restless towns what might happen to them should they rebel against his authority.

Without the Anglo-Dutch diplomat, the history of the United States would have looked different.

Remembrance has replaced history as the dominant way of working through our feelings about the Second World War.

Dutch art often appears in debates about identity, and this always happens in terms of what is 'own' and 'foreign' to it. Rembrandt in particular turns out to be very 'malleable'.

Belgium was one of Europe’s founders and main supporters, but in recent times the consensus for the European project has been somewhat worn down.

The Dutch self-taught scientist died three hundred years ago. The anniversary of his death has led to books and an exhibition that shed light on the life of this wayward pioneer of microbiology.

After eleven years of renovations, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp is opening its doors once again. It intends to assume a leading role in the Flemish museum scene.

An exhibition at the In Flanders Fields Museum shows how missing soldiers of the First World War have got their identity back thanks to archaeological and historical research.

The Flemish film policy of the past twenty years is finally bearing fruit.

Writers Ivo Victoria, Sarah Meuleman and Geert Buelens all found it liberating to move to the Netherlands. But it wasn’t long before they encountered the downsides of their destination country.

With the Congo Commission, Belgium took a different path from the Netherlands, which had its colonial past in Indonesia investigated by three institutes. What does this mean for dealing with a fraught history?

Behind the image of the well-organized Netherlands, a distressing reality is hidden, writer Jonah Falke discovered.

In the Low Countries too, the use of profanity by politicians in office is no longer an exception. Is this profane language spontaneous and innocent, or is there a calculated strategy behind it?

Students from two British Universities translated an extract from the most recent novel of the Surinamese Dutch writer Tessa Leuwsha.

Derek Blyth pays tribute to the man who has shown us the way for more than four hundred years: the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator.

Seventy years ago, the Korean War broke out. Belgium and the Netherlands too sent soldiers to Asia. They were all volunteers who decided to sign up for the most diverse reasons.

Milo Rau and his theater company NTGent adapted the Greek tragedy The Oresteia. Editor-in-chief Luc Devoldere left the performance with mixed feelings.

At the age of 75, Flemish roots rocker Roland Van Campenhout still plays in the sandpit.

At Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen, an exhibition highlights the precarious situation of gays and lesbians in Nazi Germany and the occupied countries of France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Thanks to letters captured by English privateers, historical linguists can investigate how ordinary people wrote in the Dutch Republic.

The image of farmers and the countryside in Flanders and the Netherlands has been teetering between positive and negative for decades. Why? And how much wiggle room do farmers have today?

On a trip to the capital of the Belgian province of Limburg, Derek Blyth finds comforting food, innovative architecture and 25 places to be happy.

Five hundred years after his birth, publishers can still learn from his cultural entrepreneurship.

On a trip to Mechelen, Derek Blyth discovers lost mediaeval rivers, Beethoven’s Flemish roots and the world’s oldest carillon school.

Pinkster came across to the United States with the 17-th century Dutch settlers.

When the counts of Holland wanted to break the autonomy of Friesland, they incurred the wrath of the Frisian freedom fighters.

Hind Fraihi suggests a digital detox. ‘Why not try a Digital Free Month to drastically free ourselves from social media?’

The museum in the heart of the vegetable region near Mechelen presents forgotten horticultural material and cultivation methods of yesteryear in an interactive way.

Football is unquestionably big business, but many clubs and organisations also use their popularity to engage in community service projects.

Utrecht is so much more than a pleasant day trip from Amsterdam. Discover its picturesque canals, lively pub culture, the world’s largest bike parking garage and a cute little rabbit that pops up everywhere in town.

The Rotterdam-based duo explores the human dimension in technology with interactive design.

How do we have to treat books that have fallen out of favour or have become taboo due to a changing Zeitgeist and more progressive perceptions?

On a visit to the Flemish city of Halle, Derek Blyth discovers a miraculous statue, a forgotten Flemish artist and an intriguing street art trail.

No matter where you are in the world, the 1928 Olympic Games that were held in Amsterdam have left their mark.

Flemish soprano Lisa Mostin sings the most coveted parts in the opera repertoire, from Stuttgart to Ramallah and from Amsterdam to Berlin.

You think you know Flanders and the Netherlands. But take it from us, you haven’t seen anything yet. British journalist Derek Blyth takes you on microadventures to L-Spots, hidden and exciting places in the Low Countries.

In her debut novel, Katrien Scheir portrays the often very difficult position of women in a #MeToo situation.

Broadcasters and major news brands focus more and more on podcasting. What about its popularity in Flanders and the Netherlands?

On 10 April 2020, the Dutch poet Hans Verhagen passed away at the age of 81 in his hometown Amsterdam.

Loss of their mother tongue among children of Syrian refugees in Belgium leads to conflicting ideas about their identity.

Derek Blyth lets himself be overwhelmed by the multi-talent Rubens. Or is it by his love for the human flesh?

The wishful, border-breaking collaboration between the Belgian and Dutch education sectors is struggling to get off the ground due to legal obstacles and governmental oversight that isn’t always so benevolent.

The 1971 farmers’ demonstration In Brussels was the tipping point for our agriculture sector.

These Flemish artists and organisations across cultural disciplines have been rewarded with an Ultima for their outstanding contributions.

For twenty years, choreographer Mette Ingvartsen has been creating socially and politically engaged performances. The key question she raises in her socially and politically engaged performances is whether we can create a world that revolve...

Stromae expresses and depicts the diversity of Belgian society through the collision of his Belgian-ness and Brussels patriotism with a multitude of diverse perspectives.

Eindhoven-based story designer artist Alice Wong is interested in how reality is shaped.

Meet the man who managed to unite the Flemish cities behind him and dared to defy the French king for the benefit of England and the wool and textile trade in Flanders.

On a visit to the Flemish city of Sint-Niklaas, Derek Blyth discovers the largest market square in Belgium, the biggest cigar in the world and the greatest atlas ever printed.

A big survey shows that Dutch and Flemish people who move abroad to Anglophone countries don’t speak Dutch quite as often as their other emigrated compatriots do.

On a visit to the Flemish city of Aalst, Derek Blyth discovers a Carnival parade that likes to shock, a priest that took on the factory bosses and a utopian library.

At Saint Petersburg State University, translation studies and interpreting are important subjects within the study of Dutch language and culture.

Our fascination for and exploitation of wild animals has a long history that reveals major social changes: from prestige projects for medieval monarchs to experiences for the general public.

Despite being so young, the work of Bendt Eyckermans is sought after by collectors all over the world.

The proverbial rivalry between the two football teams from Bruges dates back to the end of the 19th century.

Few people know that the first African-American woman to be honoured with a bust in the US Capitol was a native speaker of Dutch.

A still life with cheese, that’s all Sanne Pieters needs to dissect gender roles. ‘I watch you a lot: you and that favourite cow of yours.'

Jos De Gruyter and Harald Thys converted the Belgian Pavilion into a folk museum that spotlights humankind.

When Dutch children's literature deals with taboos, some books are too unconventional for the anglophone market.

Imaginative content, physical extremes and remarkable links and contrasts have made De Warme Winkel a favourite among theatre critics and audiences alike

Our selection of recent university press publications in English on the Low Countries.

An exploration of Dutch-language music export between Belgium and the Netherlands.

Every month, a translator of Dutch into English gives literary tips by answering two questions: which translated book by a Flemish or Dutch author should everyone read? And, which book absolutely deserves an English translation?

Investigative journalist Geert Sels spent eight years researching Nazi-looted art in Belgium. In 'Art for Das Reich', he brings many histories of robbery, collaboration and restitution to light for the first time.

Our best literature stories of 2020, handpicked by the editor.

The cultural heritage of the early Dutch settlers in South Africa still plays an important role in the life of this ‘rainbow nation’.

There is quite a bit of confusion surrounding the concept of ‘local,’ particularly in relation to food.

On a trip to Geel, Derek Blyth discovers a murdered Irish saint, a community that cares for strangers, and a mellow city that is simply crazy about reggae.

The Belgian-Bolivian artist translates form and material into sound, building objects in clay and playing them to produce atmospheric soundscapes.

The work of the Antwerp-based duo raises questions about public space and society.

From Marcel Broodthaers to Otobong Nkanga, more and more Belgian artists want to cast a critical perspective upon the colonial past in order to influence ongoing debates.

At the beginning of September 1944, 75 years ago, the first allied forces entered Belgium to liberate the country from the German occupier.

Discover the ‘TraumA’-inspired creations by thirteen artists and architects. Until 24 October 2021.

Research institute Huygens ING will set up a new website to access and study medieval manuscripts in Dutch collections.

The Cathedral crypt has been extensively adapted for visitors to experience the artwork’s history, via new visual technology.

In Vermeer's paintings of women writing letters, art historian Gerdien Verschoor hears their pens scratching the paper in a world that is otherwise dead silent.

'Angels of Amsterdam' is a virtual reality experience based on the true stories of four 17th century women fighting for their rights.

Young people make up a large proportion of society, and yet they very rarely feature in the media. That's why youth news agency StampMedia was founded.

We join Dagmar Bosma as she questions a cabinet made by Charles-Guillaume Diehl in c. 1867 – c. 1880.

Nine youngsters from the Low Countries created poetic films based on their favourite Dutch-language poem.

Since the original Dutch version of this book came out in January 2019 it has dominated the bestseller lists.

The Antwerp-based artist paints colourful ideal worlds, building an ever-expanding dream universe that combines personal mythology with a close reading of art history.

The world-famous Dutch private library will be made more accessible for scientific research.

A leading American genre painter of the nineteenth century jump-started his career in Germany and Holland.