society

The Belgian Roots of the American Protestant Church of The Hague
The American Protestant Church of The Hague was originally built for the 1958 World's Fair in Brussels.

Benefit Campaigns for Ukraine Fit Into a Historical Tradition
Charity has a long tradition in the Netherlands and the actions for Ukraine show many parallels to past events.
Tour of Flanders

The Threat Is Approaching from All Sides Now
According to journalist Huib Modderkolk, the Belgian and Dutch governments are taking nowhere near enough protective measures against digital hacking and sabotage.

Don’t Worry, Be Hasselt
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.
The L-Spot

Sinners and Saints: Faith and Religion in the Low Countries
In this podcast, you will discover why the story of religion in the Low Countries is much more layered than claiming that the Netherlands is a Calvinist society and Belgium a Catholic one.

Horsing Around in Vilvoorde
Derek Blyth discovers a monument to an English martyr, a traditional horsemeat restaurant and a waterfront that looks like Brooklyn.
Postcard

A Concrete Pyramid to Pray In
Derek Blyth visits a church that looks more like a pyramid from a science fiction film than a house of prayer.

Gear Up For Oudenaarde
Derek Blyth discovers a battlefield that shaped European history, a cafe dedicated to cycle racing and a tapestry with a secret message.
The DNA of the Netherlands

How Dutch Historians Unremembered Decolonization
Irish historian Paul Doolan claims that for many decades, Dutch historians have inadequately investigated the decolonization of Indonesia.

Countering the Forgetting: Dutch Indies Literature in the Twenty-First Century
A lifetime after the end of the colonial era, Dutch Indies literature still plays off colonial myths and realities against each other, and finds words for painful, half-forgotten things.

Netherlands Is Guilty of ‘Systemic Extreme Violence’ in Indonesia
A large-scale investigation shows that Dutch soldiers used extreme violence during the Indonesian War of Independence and that high-ranking officials condoned it.

Zennegat: Intersection of Water, Artists and Pubs
Discover the tiny village of Zennegat, one of the most remote spots in Flanders.

Striving for a World Without Bars
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.

Kortrijk Has Come a Long Way Since 1302
Calling Kortrijk a hidden pearl along the river Lys might be too much honour. Yet there are numerous treasures to be found.

The Cycle Roundabout in Eindhoven: A Masterpiece of Dutch Design
In a country with five billion trips by bicycle a year, special roundabouts are no luxury. No wonder the Dutch make roundabouts look like design masterpieces. And now they are spreading to progressive cities around the world.

The Sweet Pleasures of Lier
Derek Blyth discovers a wedding that changed history, the world’s most complex clock and some of life’s sweet pleasures.

Between the Muck Heap and the Tractor: The Shifting Image of Farmers
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?

Duffel is the Modest Home of a Famous Coat
The British have a longstanding love affair with the Duffel coat. It is named after the cloth made in a small Flemish town, though it is hard to establish a link between the town and the coat.

Diving Into the Past to Improve the Future: Postcolonial Themes in Belgian Art
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.

The Top 5 Society Stories of the Year
Our best society stories of 2021, handpicked by the editor.