De Facto

Articles

Meet the Hakkelaars

It started as a ludic protest, but the intentions were clear: the inhabitants of the small Dutch hamlet Hakkelaarsbrug could take care of themselves. A visit to the founder Cees van Apeldoorn.

Olaf van Muijden | 21 Oct 2020

Review

Engagement without Recognition

Isolation or interaction? In The Politics of International Interaction with De Facto States the authors explore the conundrum for politicians and policy makers: how to deal with de facto states in the international arena?

Jorie Horsthuis | 25 May 2020

Review North Pole

Looking into the Past and Future of the Arctic

Two exhibitions are on show in the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam, each give their view on the North Pole.

De Facto | 25 Apr 2020

Review Kosovo

Gripping Tales from North Kosovo

In Dragon’s Teeth, writer and diplomat Ian Bancroft explores the paradoxes and absurdities of life in North Kosovo. With interviews, historical anecdotes and first-hand observations, he gives a human face to one of the most disputed territories in Europe.

Jorie Horsthuis | 23 Mar 2020

In focus

De Facto States Respond Quickly to Covid-19

Despite being effectively excluded from global health management networks and having limited resources due their forced isolation, de facto states have shown their capacity to take action to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in their territories. This piece highlights how some de facto states have responded (information as of 13th March).

| 13 Mar 2020

in focus

Past event

De Facto Live #2

With multimedia journalist Pierre Crom about the Donbas, political analyst Wladimir van Wilgenburg about Kurdistan, designer Irene Stracuzzi about the Arctic and graphic designer Floor Koomen about the South China Sea. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis.

De Facto | 22 Jan 2020

Past event

De Facto Live on Dutch Public Radio

We visited the Dutch radio show Bureau Buitenland to tell about our passion for stamps, frictional states and curious borders.

De Facto | 14 Jan 2020

In focus Kosovo

Recognition Battle between Belgrade and Pristina

With its overt campaign to reduce the number of countries that recognize Kosovo as an independent state, Serbia has provoked the wrath of its neighbour. The battle intensifies.

Jorie Horsthuis | 5 Dec 2019

Analysis Baarle

A Town of Two States

Borders, being political creations, have traditionally resulted in significant problems to people living on such territorial anomalies. However in Baarle, with its enclaves, exclaves and counter-enclaves, relative calmness exists. Had such a situation existed anywhere else in the world, there would certainly have been (armed) conflict.

Ramesh Ganohariti | 2 Dec 2019

Past event

De Facto Live #1

With journalist Koen Greven about Catalonia, artist Vibeke Mascini about the Mont Blanc, photographer Rachel Corner and journalist Jorie Horsthuis about Transnistria and graphic designer Floor Koomen about cinderella stamps. Quiz: Suzanne Hendriks.

De Facto | 15 Nov 2019

Feature Ceuta & Melilla

Lost Boys in Melilla

Many boys from Morocco try to reach the European continent through the Spanish exclave Melilla. A search for these boys and their dreams in Fez, Melilla, Brussels and the Dutch city of Heerhugowaard. ‘In Europe, you can get 2000 euros a month. I want that too.’ (Article in Dutch)

Koen Greven | 19 Apr 2019

In focus Donetsk People’s Republic

War in Ukraine

In War in Ukraine (Lecturis, 2017), multimedia journalist Pierre Crom has documented the highly explosive situation in the Crimea and the Donbas region between 2014 and 2016, when Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk declared independence. With his pictures, Crom brings us closer to the people who got trapped in the chaos of war.

De Facto | 10 Jan 2018

Feature Kosovo

Selling Hamburgers on the Mitrovica Bridge

From their hamburger shack on the bridge of Mitrovica, Šućo and Suad can oversee both the Serbian and the Albanian part of their city. The clientele of their hamburger business has decreased rapidly. “Albanian people crazy, Serbian people stupid.”

Jorie Horsthuis | 1 Feb 2008