Public Lecture – Inside Polarisation – Understanding the Dynamics of Us versus Them – Bart Brandsma

We cordially invite you to a Public Lecture organised by the Evens Foundation & New-Bridge Integrated College and hosted by the International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE) at Ulster University.

Us versus them comes in many forms. EU versus UK, Muslim versus non-Muslim, believers versus non-believers, left versus right, man versus woman, teachers versus parents... the list is endless. Underneath we can see a universal pattern – and a dynamic that we urgently need to understand.

In this lecture Bart Brandsma, the leading expert on dealing with the fall-out of polarisation will take you inside polarisation. He will present the three basic rules, the five roles you can play and the four game changers that will help you deal with polarisation. Teachers, mayors, police-officers, public prosecutors, journalists… all professionals who face the urgency to take a professional stand in tensed situations, in open or hidden polarisation, will be presented a number of eye-openers and new insights to start depolarisation. After the lecture – with interactive exchange with the public – you will feel refreshed and more equipped to deal with this age old dynamic, us versus them.

Bart Brandsma (1967) is a Dutch philosopher, independent trainer and consultant who works throughout Europe on local and national issues, and is author of the book Polarisation: understanding the dynamic of us versus them.

With a small team of dedicated people, he trains and advises professionals – such as mayors, public prosecutors, policymakers, teachers, school heads, prison personnel and prison directors, radicalisation experts and counterterrorism teams, police professionals, municipality workers, youth and social workers, dialogue experts, communication advisors, journalists, etc.

Visit polarisatie.nl