What Virtues are we Signalling? By Maria Clara Santana | Culture | February 13, 2026 Cover Illustration: Close up of gramophone, 2018. Sudhith Xavier / Unsplash Raised fist protest selfies, twitter bio hashtags, profile picture paraphernalia. The virtue signal is a staple of modern culture, a need for many. When society becomes increasingly unforgiving of moral faux pas, there is little room for skipping out on the latest advocacy fad. But…
Coffee or Social Prosperity? Amsterdam’s Cafés as Stages for Public Relevance By Nayana Missaglia | Culture | February 10, 2026 Cover Illustration: Shallow Focus Photography of Coffee Late in Mug on Table, 2017. Nathan Damlao / Unsplash Amsterdam’s café culture has shifted from a simple love for coffee into a curated, performative arena where social visibility and belonging often matter more than the drink itself. We all drink coffee. If not…
Availability of Student Housing to Decrease as Private Landlords Sell Off Properties By Odelia Florusbosch | News | February 6, 2026 Cover Illustration: Amsterdam House, 2022. Marvin Langer / Unsplash Reporter Odelia Florusbosch discusses the ongoing housing crisis in the Netherlands as student housing properties become increasingly inaccessible. Finding housing in Amsterdam is no easy task and finding a place to live as a student is no exception. The search…
Nijntje or Miffy? From Dutch childhood icon to consumerist symbol of ‘cuteness’ culture By Margarita Pujol | News / Culture | January 29, 2026 Cover Illustration: Miffy plushie with Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, 08/11/2025. Margarita Pujol / The Amsterdammer Author Margarita Pujol dives into the history of the Dutch cartoon rabbit, Nintje (a.k.a. Miffy) and her international success as a ‘kawaii’ symbol. In awe of the cuteness of a little white…
Refugees as “Rotten Apples”:? How Language in Political Debate Can Fuel a Process of Dehumanization of Marginalized Groups By Sara Ansari | News | January 29, 2026 Cover Illustration: Palestine Gaza Childhood War. Hosnysalah/Pixabay “Rotten apples” is what D66 party leader Rob Jetten calls ‘unwanted’ refugees during the first RTL debate of the 2025 Dutch elections. The head of the ultimately winning social-liberal party seems to have adopted a harsh tone regarding immigration questions,…
The “Performative Male” Trend in Amsterdam: A Costume of Progressive Values? By Zora Filali | Culture | January 26, 2026 Cover Illustration: A man sitting at a table reading a book, 2024. Priscilla du Preez / Unsplash Soft news reporter Zora Filali reflects on Amsterdam’s simultaneous flirtation with and rejection of the “performative male”, and how this phenomenon ties into the very heart of the city’s culture. You have…
