Building cycle heaven in Freiburg

By Pieter Vergouw  Illustration by Taylor Brunnschweiler An indefinable time ago, I came to the conclusion that routine had taken over my life, and therefore I treated myself to a trip. Call it a moment for reflection. I was thinking of the Himalayas or South America, but in the end, it became Germany. That’s how my…

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Building a New Europe: what happened to the social market economy?

by Pieter Vergouw Illustration by Célia Mortureux  The death of Jacques Delors, the first and arguably the most effective president of the European Commission, at the end of last year marks the end of an era in the field of European integration. Recent developments, from Brexit to the confrontational shenanigans concerning EU funds between the European…

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Making a living in the gig economy

Written by Pieter Vergouw Illustration by Marlon ‘Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life’ is a famous quote by former American basketball coach and motivational speaker John Wooden. However, judging by the crises that have rocked the global economy in recent years –and that have caused steep inflation and rising energy bills–…

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The subtle art of match-fixing

Written by Pieter Vergouw Artwork by Tes Miedema Summer heat invites people to leave their houses and offices and to head to football pitches, tennis courts and rugby grounds. This is the season where major sports tournaments take place. The summer of 2024 in particular will be a big year for sports, especially in Europe.…

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The Netherlands as a Tax Haven: Fact or Fiction?

Written by Pieter Vergouw Illustration by Taylor Brunnschweiler It has not been a long time – fourteen years to be precise – since the Netherlands featured prominently on a list of tax havens compiled by the Obama administration, among places such as Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Ireland. This was part of a U.S-led crackdown…

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The shadow side of education

Written by Pieter Vergouw Illustration by Rena Hänel Private tutoring is an activity that has ancient roots. Patrician Roman families would hire a tutor to educate their children in the skills of poetry, geography, and public speaking. Upper-class families in Victorian Britain would often have a governess to teach their offspring. People from these bygone…

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