The Clingendael Institute’s public platform function was significantly strengthened in 2017. Clingendael also introduced a contemporary, primarily English-language website (.org) in 2017, of which the “Clingendael Spectator” magazine forms an integral part. The publications also increasingly include accessible infographics and storyboards. This online proposition enables the Institute to reach a wider audience and to achieve the objective of this programme – to make a nationally and internationally valued contribution to the national and international public debate (particularly with regard to Europe) in the field of international relations. Clingendael rose significantly in the rankings of the TTCSP Global Think Tank Index in 2017: from 17th to 10th place in the ‘Best Think Tank in Western Europe’ ranking and from 48th to 30th place in the ‘Best Think Tank Worldwide’ ranking.
Work started in 2017 on the development of a ‘Barometer’ to track the views of Dutch people on subjects such as security and international/European cooperation and the position the Netherlands should adopt on these issues relative to Europe and the world. In collaboration with Prof. Mark Elchardus, emeritus professor of sociology at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), and Dr Alex Lehr, university lecturer at Radboud University Nijmegen, Monika Sie Dhian Ho and a team of Clingendael experts drew up an initial draft questionnaire. The possibility of collaborating with Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on the field research was also investigated in 2017.
The preliminary work conducted in 2017 provides a basis for the work on the Barometer in 2018. This work includes finalising the questionnaire by means of qualitative and quantitative assessments and conducting negotiations with Statistics Netherlands on the field research, which is scheduled to take place after the summer. The results will be published in collaboration with a Dutch newspaper and will serve as input for a series of public discussions on the Netherlands in the world at various places arounds the country. A proposal for additional financing from a private fund is also being prepared to make all this possible.
The following Alerts – concise analyses that cast fresh light on relevant international developments – have been produced in 2017:
Title of Alert |
Expert |
---|---|
Violent extremism and development: Witnessing a fundamental pivot |
Bibi van Ginkel ** |
Sico van der Meer |
|
Reflectie op regeerakkoord Rutte III / Reflection on Rutte III Coalition Agreement |
Rem Korteweg, Margriet Drent, Dick Zandee, Fransje Molenaar, Louise van Schaik |
Europe and Japan schould look to each other amid uncertainty about Trump and Xi |
Maaike Okano-Heijmans |
Peter van Ham |
|
Jan Melissen ** |
|
Anne Bakker |
|
Adriaan Schout |
|
Wilbur Perlot, Paul Meerts, et al. |
|
The EMU does not have any flaws (also published in Beleid en Maatschappij) |
Adriaan Schout ** |
**) These Alerts were issued in conjunction with a public meeting and/or expert panel. See inter alia: link
The following Policy Briefs – longer in-depth analyses on socially relevant subjects – were produced in 2017 (some were completed in 2017 but will be published in the forthcoming weeks/months):
Title of Policy Brief |
Expert |
---|---|
Climate-migration-security: Making the most of a contested relationship |
Louise van Schaik |
Geopolitics of the sustainability transition – risks and opportunities |
Louise van Schaik |
(five ‘Radars’ on Terrorism, CBRN, Migration, Climate and Free Trade) |
Kars de Bruijne, Minke Meijnders, Bibi van Ginkel, Louise van Schaik, Fransje Molenaar, Maaike Okano-Heijmans, Sico van der Meer |
The 2017 elections across Europe: facts, expectations and consequences (EPC ) |
Adriaan Schout |
Adriaan Schout, Yuri van Loon, Michiel Luining |
|
“The Dutch EU Presidency: The Continuing Relevance of the Rotating Presidency in a Political Union” (Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 55 (S1)) |
Adriaan Schout |
“Benelux: The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg” (with Fabian Willermain, Alexander Mattelaer and Martine Huberty) in Oliver, T. (ed.), Europe’s Brexit |
Rem Korteweg |
Geïntegreerd veiligheidsbeleid |
Margriet Drent |
Why the EU should help former smugglers get a job: an integrated approach for Agadez (and beyond) |
Fransje Molenaar |
Frans-Paul van der Putten |
In mid-2017 Clingendael started producing podcasts to reach a new, wider audience. In these podcasts we invite experts from the Netherlands and abroad, including Clingendael experts, and politicians to share their insights and analyses with the public, thereby emphasising the Institute’s hub function. This series of podcasts is being expanded in 2018. Seven podcasts were released in 2017, through the website, social media and weekly Clingendael newsletter. All podcasts are available through the Clingendael website and SoundCloud.
Title of Podcast |
Interviewee |
---|---|
Sico van der Meer |
|
Erwin van Veen |
|
Fransje Molenaar |
|
Rhissa Feltou, Mayor of Agadez (in French) |
|
Margriet Drent |
|
Jeroen Dijsselbloem |
|
Rem Korteweg |
Clingendael experts increasingly provided commentaries in Dutch and foreign media on international developments and events. Our experts were also increasingly approached by media outlets in response to Clingendael publications. The number of media appearances has consequently been rising since 2016, with Clingendael appearing in the media on average twice a day:
* in Dutch and foreign media
A full list of media appearances can be found at our website. This list can be filtered by year and type of media appearance (Online, Radio, Paper/Magazine, TV/Video).
We have fulfilled our ambition of internationalising our visibility in the media; half of the media appearances in 2017 were in foreign media, including:
|
---|
CNN |
Washington Post |
Wall Street Journal |
Financial Times |
The Guardian |
Süddeutsche Zeitung |
Politico |
Rzeczpospolita |
De Morgen |
De Standaard |
Reuters |
With regard to Dutch-language media, our experts appeared particularly in or on:
Medium |
|
---|---|
1 |
NOS.nl |
2 |
BNR Nieuwsradio |
3 |
NPO/Radio 1 |
4 |
De Volkskrant |
5 |
Trouw |
6 |
De Telegraaf |
7 |
Bureau Buitenland (Radio) |
8 |
De Morgen |
9 |
NRC Handelsblad |
10 |
NU.nl |
11 |
Het Financieele Dagblad |
12 |
EenVandaag (TV) |
13 |
RTL Nieuws (TV) |
14 |
De Standaard |
15 |
Nederlands Dagblad |
It is noteworthy that Clingendael also published more opinion articles in Dutch and foreign media in 2017 than in 2016. These op-eds are usually related to published Alerts or Policy Briefs:
In 2017, the Internationale Spectator celebrated its 70th anniversary with a relaunch, transforming into a bilingual online magazine retitled as Clingendael Spectator. The restyled magazine is bilingual in the sense that readers using a web browser in Dutch will see both Dutch and English articles, but visitors using a browser in any other language will only see English articles and dossiers (in the media landscape quite a unique construction). By serving a wider audience, Clingendael’s magazine stimulated the international exchange of views and knowledge on a broad range of international issues.
Almost 80 articles, columns and reviews in Dutch or English were published online by the Editorial Office in 2017, as well as the following ‘Dossiers’ appearing as web publications:
Title dossier |
---|
The number of subscribers to the Clingendael Spectator newsletter grew from 2,800 to 3,100; and extensive use was also made of the Spectator’s Twitter and Facebook accounts (over 3,000 followers all in all). The website attracted over 8,000 unique visitors every month.
The Editorial Office, which evaluates articles and other contributions during its weekly meetings, consisted of editor-in-chief Jan Rood, and managing editors Bram Peeters and Peter Schregardus. During 2017, three students served a four-months’ internship at the Editorial Office.
In order to strengthen the public debate function, the following public meetings were hosted or cohosted in 2017:
Debate on populism, 2 February 2017 (Glazen Zaal, The Hague)
Presentation on Clingendael Strategic Monitor 2017, 20 February 2017 (Glazen Zaal, The Hague)
“Brexit, Trump and elections: the impact on your business” 23 March 2017, Amsterdam
Public meeting: does Trump have a policy?, 8 May 2017 (Leiden University campus, The Hague)
Conference on ‘Crossing Borders’, 8 June 2017 (Clingendael Institute, The Hague)
“Preparing Dutch Business for Brexit” 13 September 2017, Clingendael Institute
“Debating Security Plus: Rapid fire chat on the future of EU defence” 26-28 September 2017
“Nederland in de Veiligheidsraad: Wat zijn de ambities” 25 October 2017, Humanity House, The Hague
“Nacht van de VN” 30 October 2017, Amsterdam
Lecture by the Polish minister of Foreign Affairs, 31 October 2017 (Clingendael Institute, The Hague)
Lecture by the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia , 29 November 2017 (Clingendael Institute, The Hague)
Public meetings of the Netherlands Society for International Affairs (NGIZ):
2 February 2017: Debate on Populism with Monika Sie, Nausica Marbee, Thierry Baudet, René Cuperus & Hans Wansink among others
24 February 2017: How United is the United States with Jocelyn Kiley among others
11 April 2017: Turkije voor en na het referendum with Joost Lagendijk among others
2 May 2017: De Franse Verkiezingen – Weg van Europa? with Niek Pas & Marnix Krop among others
31 May 2017: De Britse verkiezingen – Wat betekent dit voor Brexit? with Rem Korteweg & Margriet Drent among others
25 September 2017: De Duitse verkiezingen – Merkel opnieuw aan zet? with Hanco Jurgens, Monika Sie & Adriaan Schout among others
19 October 2017: Making Europe Great Again with Sven Biscop & Rem Korteweg
7 November 2017: Wat willen Macron, Merkel & Rutte voor Europa? with Stefan de Vries, Monika Sie & Wouter Meijer among others
14 November 2017: De Wil van het Volk? De erosie van de democratische rechtsstaat in Europa with Ernst Hirsch Ballin, Bastiaan Rijpkema, Thomas von der Dunk & Jan-Marinus Wiersma among others.
30 November 2017: Autonome wapensystemen binnen de krijgsmacht – wat geven we uit handen? with Leon Kester, Miriam Struyk & Frans Osinga among others.
14 December 2017: Nederland in de Veiligheidsraad with Peter van der Vliet & Marriët Schuurman among others.
NGIZ & Clingendael held the following meetings for young professionals:
NGIZ Club Clingendael on elections, democracy and populism (8 March 2017)
NGIZ Club Clingendael on climate as an opportunity?!? (11 October 2017)
NGIZ Club Clingendael on European defence cooperation (22 November 2017)
The local divisions of NGIZ (NGIZ Southern, Northern Netherlands, Rotterdam, Leiden, Amsterdam and Utrecht) held 20 meetings on a wide range of international subjects in 2017.
Clingendael’s international hub function is also demonstrated by the contributions which Clingendael experts make to expert meetings and panel discussions in Europe and further afield. For example, our experts were invited to make substantive contributions to events in: Brussels (including during hearings of the European Parliament), Germany, Sweden, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Poland, Italy, Greece, Malta, Austria, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, the United States, Belarus, Russia, China, Japan, Myanmar, Australia and, of course, the Netherlands.
Clingendael also held the following expert meetings:
“Rethinking the EU’s relations with strategic partners: more pragmatism and flexibility” 29 May 2017, with Jan Melissen & Wouter Zweers (Egmont Institute, Brussels)
“State capture, political risk & international business”, 22 May 2017
“Now what? Transatlantische betrekkingen na Trump’s bezoek aan de NAVO & G7” (30 May 2017) with Amb. Henne Schuwer
“Libya’s militias: how will they shape the future of Libya…and what does it mean for Europe?” 28 August 2017 with Ziad Akl
“The EU-Turkey refugee deal” 3 November 2017 with Fransje Molenaar
“Reconstructing Syria: Limitations and Possibilities” 8 November 2017, with Nikolaos van Dam & Hadi al-Bahra among others
“Iraq Beyond Mosul: Avoiding the next conflict” 21 November 2017 with Erwin van Veen, Saywan Barzani & Ali al-Mawlaki among others
“Chemical Weapons and Challenge Ahead: Past & Future of the OPCW” 27 November 2017 with Peter van Ham & Sico van der Meer
Former Dutch Finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem (c.) and Clingendael’s Sr. Research Fellow Rem Korteweg (l.) during a Future of Europe Breakfast Meeting on the European Monetary Union (December 2017).
Three Crises Alerts concerning Libya were published In 2017. On the basis of these alerts an expert meeting was organised at the Clingendael Institute and Kars de Bruijne took part in a hearing at the invitation of the European Parliament in August. The planned theme for 2008 is “Turkey”.
Clingendael expert meeting on Libya's militias, the Clingendael Institute, The Hague, August 2017