Bart Brandsma is widely recognized as the leading polarization expert in the Netherlands and Belgium. After studying social and political philosophy, he initially worked as a journalist and documentary maker. Since 2005, he has dedicated himself to a single mission: developing and refining a practical framework – the Thinking Framework for Polarization – to help professionals understand and break through us-versus-them dynamics in their daily work.

With this unique and proven approach, Bart Brandsma has been countering the paralysis caused by us-versus-them thinking for two decades, across a wide range of sectors. He gives international masterclasses and advises a diverse array of organizations and companies — from ministries to school boards, from mayors to journalists, from the police to the judiciary, from municipalities to multinationals, and from youth workers to activists.

His approach has proven its effectiveness both in the Netherlands and abroad. Beyond Europe (from Finland to Spain, and from Northern Ireland to Ukraine), Bart has also worked as a strategic advisor and trainer in countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Lebanon, and Tanzania.