Latest blog articles

When Trump tweeted "See you in Court, the security of our nation is at stake" he was absolutely right, but not as he intended it to mean. Because yes, courts are essential for the security of (the citizens of) the state.

For those who have already looked into the programme, one first impression is that it is crazy short and jam-packed with contents (1 course per 4 weeks). And in being short, choosing your specialization for the second semester (February - June) means the pressure is on for some to make up their...

One difference (depending on the discipline as well) between a Bachelor and Master programme is the workload. Would I say the shift is significant between the Bachelor I have completed and now? Not only might it be too soon to say (I shall follow up with another post at the end of the first semester...

Greetings and thanks for stopping by! My name is Shelly and the purpose of this blog is to document my experiences as a Masters student of the European Studies in Society, Sciences, and Technology Study programme (that's a mouthful so let's go with ESST!)
 

It took quite a while before the European countries realized and recognized that the influx from asylum-seekers via the Mediterranean Sea and Turkey into the European Union is not just a matter of controlling the outside borders of the Union, but also a humanitarian and human rights issue. Some...

This year we have witnessed an extraordinary and tragic series of events. Hundreds of thousands of migrants have tried to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. The UN estimates that over 2,500 people have lost their lives in the process. In the last few weeks, the focus has shifted to the EU’s...

On August 29, 2015, a group of European Ministers in Paris agreed to increase security on key international rail routes in response to the thwarted attack on a Thalys train that took place earlier in the month. Increasing various security measures in the aftermath of such an incident is perceived...

The 2015 Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX)   update highlights and confirms the shift towards a restrictive migration and integration policy in the Netherlands. Overall, the Netherlands dropped to the eleventh place in the MIPEX ranking, down from the fifth in 2010.

In a short memo, published on 22 March, the Dutch Liberal Party (VVD) expressed its view on how to handle the increasing number of asylum claims in the Netherlands, and more broadly in the EU, as well as the continuously tragic events concerning refugees that occur at the external borders of the EU...