Bart Brandsma

Bart Brandsma (1967) is the number one expert on polarisation in Europe. As a consultant, trainer and philosopher he managed to develop a practical approach to deal with us-them thinking; the dynamic of polarisation. He is widely asked to help out professionals. With his hands-on methods he trains and advises directors, ceo's, ministers, mayors as well as for example police officers, journalists, scientists... all for them to be ready when polarisation strikes. In the past 20 (!) years he worked throughout Europe, from Helsinki to Barcelona, as well as in (post)conflict countries, such as Ukraine, Myanmar and Lebanon, Eastern Congo & Cambodia. The topics he dealt with are numerous; from extreme right versus left extremism, woke versus anti-woke, Gaza versus Israel, city versus countryside, nature versus farmer... and so on. 

Bart Brandsma studied social and political philosophy in the Netherlands, worked about 15 years in journalism, written press and television. He picked up his career in conflict & polarisation around the year 2005 and is the author of the book Polarisation; understanding the dynamics of us versus them (2016), translated in several languages.