What is this website mainly about?

History, Media & Communication

"History illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, and provides guidance in daily life", the Roman philosopher Cicero wrote. Having studied history, media and communication, I write essays dealing with these fields of expertise, often combining them.

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Japan

A long time interest in Japan, especially its history and cinema, and several study visits in the last few years have made the land of the rising sun one of the more prominent and interesting topics to write about in the form of essays and (travel) stories.

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Reggae

The music from Jamaica that came from the slums of Kingston as the musical voice of the poor and oppressed and eventually conquered the world. As a uplifting, inspiring and motivating soundtrack to life, reggae and especially Bob Marley and the Wailers are favorite topics to write about.

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nikko77

A trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 & Japan 2010 (Part V: Nikko)

Due to other commitments, and due to the terrible tragedy that happened and is still happening in Japan, I have had little time to write new articles. Therefore, on this sunny Saturday a new trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 and Japan 2010. This time: the famous tourist attraction Nikko, approximately 140 kilometers or two hours north of Tokyo. Nikko and its surroundings house an impressive amount of tourist attractions, such as Lake Chuzenji and … Continue reading

P1010285

Spring in Japa…. The Netherlands

March 24, 2011. The sun has been shining against a clear blue sky for several days, signaling the beginning of spring in The Netherlands. To my surprise I encountered already blooming cherry blossoms in my neighborhood this afternoon. In the previous two years the cherry blossoms only started to bloom in the first week of April. Photos by GHH

International news coverage in the Asian region. The Jakarta Post & The Times of India

Coverage of international news in print media has been declining significantly over the last decade. A recent report about international news called ‘Shrinking World’ showed for example that there has been a drop of approximately forty percent in international news coverage across UK national newspapers such as the Guardian, Telegraph, Mail and Mirror. International news now only makes up eleven percent of the news, in comparison to twenty percent in 1979 (Moore, 2010). American Journalism … Continue reading

nijocastle77

A trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 & Japan 2010 (Part IV: Nijo Castle, Kyoto)

A new month and a new episode of A trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 & Japan 2010. This time we leave the capital city of Tokyo and travel 513 kilometers West with the shinkansen (bullet-train) to Japan’s ‘cultural capital’ Kyoto. Kyoto – with about 1.5 million inhabitants – houses many beautiful temples and shrines, and is for that reason a popular tourist destination for not only foreigners but also the Japanese themselves. In fact, … Continue reading

bobpost

Jamming in Japan. A history of Bob Marley and reggae – Revised Definitive Edition

How and when did reggae music travel from its birthplace Jamaica to Japan, and what role did Bob Marley play in this process? When did Marley visit Japan, and who were the first Jamaican reggae artists to come to the land of the rising sun? When did the Japanese start to make their own Japanese reggae? And in what ways does reggae appeal to the Japanese? These and many more questions are answered in a … Continue reading

ginza177

A trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 & Japan 2010 (Part III: Ginza)

Today the third part of a trip through a Japanese memory lane, taking us back to Tokyo 1977 and Tokyo 2010 once more. To be more precise: Ginza. Although new shopping area’s have risen to prominence in Tokyo recent years (such as Omotesando), Ginza has long been (regarded as) one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Besides huge Japanese department stores (Matsuya, Mitsukoshi, Matsuzakaya) and fashion clothing ‘flagship’ stores, Ginza is also … Continue reading

Buitenland zoekt loodgieter

Gaan of blijven? Dat is wat wellicht de meeste bezoekers en potentiele emigranten zich afgelopen weekend afvroegen op de Emigratiebeurs. Op zaterdag en zondag vond in het Expo Exhibition Centre te Houten de vijftiende internationale Emigratiebeurs plaats. De organisatie had vooraf via het Internet al een recordaantal kaarten verkocht, wat leidde tot een toeloop van zo’n 11000 bezoekers verdeeld over twee dagen. Willen echt zoveel mensen Nederland de rug toe keren en hun geluk elders … Continue reading

shibamata77

A trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 & Japan 2010 (Part II: Shibamata)

After the hugely successful first installment of A trip through memory lane: Japan 1977 & Japan 2010 – which showed Asakusa, Tokyo now and back then – I today present the second part: Shibamata. Shibamata is one of the few remaining traditional neighborhoods in Tokyo (also called shitamachi) where skyscrapers have not (yet?) arisen and where one can still enjoy more ‘traditional’ types of buildings and styles of living. Perhaps this is also the reason … Continue reading