drs. Arend Jan Boekestijn

About Arend Jan Boekestijn

Arend-Jan Boekestijn is a highly sought-after speaker and moderator both domestically and internationally who sheds light on the economic consequences of current geopolitical shifts. He is fascinated by the significant geopolitical changes currently taking place that have a major impact on our politics and economy. Europe is facing several crises that reinforce each other. Putin’s display of power comes at a time when Europe is struggling with populism, the euro, Brexit, and the refugee flows resulting from the implosion of the Middle East.

Boekestijn has been affiliated with the Department of History of International Relations at Utrecht University since 1989. His publications focus on the history of the European state system in the 19th and 20th centuries and the history of European Integration. In addition to his work at Utrecht University, he is an international columnist for the weekly magazine Elsevier.

Every Wednesday, he provides commentary on DIDD on Radio 1 from 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Every Saturday at noon, he co-hosts a BNR program about the world with Rob de Wijk called Boekestijn and de Wijk. In the summer of 2016, he presented the program Successful Netherlands on RTL7. In 2017, Arend-Jan Boekestijn, together with Rob de Wijk, created the six-part television series ‘Away from the World’, in which the duo hosted prominent guests to discuss geopolitical tensions.

From 2003 to 2006, Arend-Jan was a member of the advisory group of the Dutch Minister of Defence. From November 2006 to November 2009, he was a member of the House of Representatives for the VVD party, holding the portfolios of defence and development cooperation. Since September 2015, Arend-Jan has been a member of the Peace and Security Committee of the Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV). The AIV is an independent advisory body that advises the government and the States General on foreign policy, particularly regarding human rights, peace and security, development cooperation, and European integration.

In November 2009, his book ”The Price of a Bad Conscience” was published. This book criticizes the development industry. The book recently reached its fourth edition. In 2011, the book “Musing Over Sea” was released, a collection of a series of essays and columns.