Joris Luyendijk
Encyclopedia
Joris Luyendijk is a Dutch
non-fiction
author
, news correspondent and talk show host.
Joris Luyendijk studied in Kansas
, Amsterdam
, and Cairo
. He earned his Master's degree
equivalent "doctoraal" degree in Cairo
. His first book Een goede man slaat soms zijn vrouw (1998, A good man sometimes hits his wife) is about the Egypt
ian society from a Western observer's point of view.
He eventually became a news correspondent for various Netherlands-based media organisations in the Middle East
for a number of years. He was based in Egypt
, Lebanon
, and the Palestinian territories
. He also reported on the Second Gulf War in Iraq
. His book Het zijn net mensen (2006, They are just like people) is a report of his experiences as a news correspondent in the Middle East, and quickly became a bestseller in the Netherlands. The book has since been translated and published in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Australia, the US, France and Slovenia, and is scheduled to be released in the UK and Lebanon. The title in English is Fit to Print (Australia), "Hello, Everybody!" (UK) or People Like Us (US).
In People Like Us, Luyendijk tells the story of his five years as a correspondent in the Middle East. He chronicles first-hand experiences of dictatorship, occupation, terror, and war. His stories cast light on a number of major crises, from the Iraq War to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, along with less-reported issues such as underage orphan trash-collectors in Cairo. The more he witnessed, the less he understood, and he became increasingly aware of the yawning gap between what he saw on the ground and what was later reported in the media.
Since 2006, Joris Luyendijk has been living in Amsterdam. In the summer of 2006 and 2007 he carried out interviews for the talk show
Zomergasten (Summer Guests) on VPRO
. As of January 2010, he will be holding the Leonardo Chair at the University of Tilburg, and teach the masterclass “Journalism for the 21st Century”. Luyendijk studied Arabic in Amsterdam and Cairo, though he does not speak the language fluently.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, news correspondent and talk show host.
Joris Luyendijk studied in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. He earned his Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
equivalent "doctoraal" degree in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. His first book Een goede man slaat soms zijn vrouw (1998, A good man sometimes hits his wife) is about the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian society from a Western observer's point of view.
He eventually became a news correspondent for various Netherlands-based media organisations in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
for a number of years. He was based in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, and the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
. He also reported on the Second Gulf War in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. His book Het zijn net mensen (2006, They are just like people) is a report of his experiences as a news correspondent in the Middle East, and quickly became a bestseller in the Netherlands. The book has since been translated and published in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Australia, the US, France and Slovenia, and is scheduled to be released in the UK and Lebanon. The title in English is Fit to Print (Australia), "Hello, Everybody!" (UK) or People Like Us (US).
In People Like Us, Luyendijk tells the story of his five years as a correspondent in the Middle East. He chronicles first-hand experiences of dictatorship, occupation, terror, and war. His stories cast light on a number of major crises, from the Iraq War to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, along with less-reported issues such as underage orphan trash-collectors in Cairo. The more he witnessed, the less he understood, and he became increasingly aware of the yawning gap between what he saw on the ground and what was later reported in the media.
Since 2006, Joris Luyendijk has been living in Amsterdam. In the summer of 2006 and 2007 he carried out interviews for the talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
Zomergasten (Summer Guests) on VPRO
VPRO
The VPRO was established in the Netherlands in 1926 as a religious broadcasting organization. Falling under the Protestant pillar, it represented the Liberal Protestant current...
. As of January 2010, he will be holding the Leonardo Chair at the University of Tilburg, and teach the masterclass “Journalism for the 21st Century”. Luyendijk studied Arabic in Amsterdam and Cairo, though he does not speak the language fluently.
External links
- Homepage
- Joris Luyendijk: An Analysis on Terms Coastal Post, May 2007. Originally appeared in Le Monde DiplomatiqueLe Monde diplomatiqueLe Monde diplomatique is a monthly newspaper offering analysis and opinion on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first created mainly for a diplomatic audience as its name implies...
, March 2007