PROJECTS
Framing of Muslims
Exoticism, Criticism and Appropriation
Not a day goes by without mass media reporting about Muslims: reports and discussions about headscarves, mosques, terrorism and other topics. Yet few people realise that the present-day images, views and arguments have a long history. A century ago, countries like France and the Netherlands governed large colonial empires with tens of millions Muslim inhabitants. Newspapers in these countries paid considerable attention to questions related to Muslims and Islam. The ways these popular newspapers 'framed' Muslims still continue to influence our perception today.
Consumer Protection
From the Common Agricultural Policy to the GDPR
Everyone is a consumer, since we all purchase goods and services for our personal use. Our interests as consumers can be harmed in a myriad of ways, for example when products are unsafe, when companies resort to unfair market practices, or when they provide us with incomplete or incorrect information. For decades, consumer organisations have fought to protect consumer interests, both at the national and European level. While a lot of progress has been made, new challenges constantly emerge.
Corsican Nationalism
'La nation vaincue qui doit renaître...'
Corsica is known in France as 'l’Île de Beauté', 'the Island of Beauty'. It is the birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte and many French tourists visit the island each year. Yet a part of the Corsican population would like to see the island get independent from France, or at the very least gain significant autonomy. Some of these Corsican nationalists have demonstrated to be willing to use violence in their struggle for independence. In 2008 I contacted Corsican nationalists in French prisons. France considers these men as terrorists, but they see themselves as political prisoners. Eight of them wrote me long letters to explain their views.
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