By Tim Jan Rozendaal Today, it is commonplace to make sense of the world in terms of nation states and corresponding ethnic groupings. Usually, when I start a conversation with someone who does not speak Dutch, the where are you from-question is unavoidable. When someone asks me about my nationality, I usually answer that I…
Continue reading ➞ Nationalism, nationality, and ethnicity: a better world without them?
Interview conducted by Elsa Court Following the seminar he led on negotiating in intercultural relationships (organised by the BASIS Eurasian Committee), I sat down with Jeroen to collect some of the wisdom he has gathered over 20 years of working as a Dutch entrepreneur in Russia. Where is home for you? Home is wherever I…
By Alfonso Gorostiga If given the task to describe yourself with only one song. Would you be able to do it? What if you were given 10 songs? It would not make it any easier either, would it? For certain, our music taste does reflect our true selves. With music intrinsically connected to the subconscious,…
Continue reading ➞ BASIS Music Committee: a couple of ideas on music
By Gemma La Guardia In recent months, the president of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has been the subject of a number of ongoing corruption investigations, launched by his own chief of police, Roni Alsheikh. He is embroiled in four separate cases, while his wife, Sara, is being indicted for using public funds for the Netanyahu’s household’s…
With the second semester well and truly upon us, it may seem that this first issue of BAISmag is a little late. However, with this semester comes the first language lessons of the first years, the elective stress of the second years, and all-encompassing chaos that the third years will be living through well into…
By Warsha Autar Dear No one, In almost every fairytale the princess is saved by a true love's kiss, and in others, the princess' tears of love save the cursed prince. If there is one thing I have learned from the wonderful students on campus is that everybody has a story. Everybody has their own…
By Warsha Autar Warning: This letter contains spoilers of the first episode of Deep Space Nine and the movie New Years Eve. Dear No one, The loud whooshing noises are deafening and the stars are dazzling. “For the love of Godiva, Don’t push that button!” I shout at my screen. Thankfully Bashir listens to my…
By Leah Cohill Illustration by Lotte Timmermans If you were to ask a Russian person what they associate New Year’s Eve with, the answer would probably be: family gatherings, fireworks, presents, and a lot of homemade food - everything that a Westerner would usually associate with Christmas. In Russia though, the jolly man with a…
By Julia Moore On the first day of Christmas, Leiden Uni gave to me Deadline anxiety. On the second day of Christmas, Leiden Uni gave to me Two BASIS borrels and Deadline anxiety. On the third day of Christmas, Leiden Uni gave to me Three new web posts, Two BASIS borrels, and Deadline anxiety. On…
By India Stotesbury & Yara Sewalt. Here at Wijnhaven, we have a very multicultural community. A community that studies together, parties together, moans about gender neutral toilets together, and creates a brilliant Baismag together… But one thing we don’t do together, is celebrate the festive season: on the 25th of December most students return home…
