CURRICULUM VITAE
NIGEL VAN SCHAIK
As a journalist, I have written and worked as an editor for different commercial, public and non-profit newsrooms, publishing on the (formerly) largest news app in Europe, progressive independent online magazines and public media. I have mostly covered topics related to politics, media, and urban development.
I combine the practice of journalism — working as a freelance reporter and editor — with the critical examination of journalistic norms and practices. My BA thesis compared notions of professional objectivity among editors in-chief of mainstream and alternative media. My MA thesis (8,5) relied on in-depth interviews to examine the work practices and reflexivity of mainstream journalists covering the white supremacist projections in early 2023.
EDUCATION
M.A. Media, Culture & Society
Erasmus University Rotterdam, 2021 – 2023
GPA: 8,25. Cum laude
Interests: Journalism studies, politics of representation, political economy of journalism
Thesis: Can the watchdog bite? Journalism and the normalization of far-right discourse
Thesis supervisor: dr. Isabel Awad
Researched work practices and reflexivity of mainstream journalists covering far-right activism in the Netherlands through in-depth interviews and content analysis.
Thesis assessed with 8.5
B.A. Journalism
Fontys Hogescholen, 2017 – 2021
Thesis: Media with a mission. Beyond journalistic objectivity
Compared meaning-making behind professional norms of journalistic objectivity at editors in-chief of mainstream and progressive-alternative media in the Netherlands Thesis assessed with 7.0
Followed (now discontinued) experimental curriculum, based on student initiative and independent media production. Hence, there is no GPA provided, as we did not receive any grades apart from the final assessment. Progress was assessed on a biannual basis by presenting a defense of the projects completed and goals reached in that semester.
Took Minor courses in Creative Writing and Photography at Hogeschool Leiden and Haagse Hogeschool.
Hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs
Cambium College, 2015 – 2017
Profiel Natuur en Techniek & Natuur en Gezondheid
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Self-employed, Rotterdam
Freelance journalist, 2019 – Currently
Published long-form journalism, interviews, opinion pieces and essays for Dutch media outlets Vers Beton and OneWorld.
Worked as a freelance news editor at commercial news site NieuwNieuws, news aggregator Upday by Samsung, and EenVandaag, a daily current affairs programme produced by Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS. In these roles, I was responsible for writing (breaking) news articles, decisions on newsworthiness, compilation and editorial priorities, and editing and proofreading.
Brabants Dagblad, DPG Media, Tilburg
Internship, 2018
Worked as an intern for local print and online media outlet Brabants Dagblad, writing and producing for online, video and print teams.
Academic publications
Van Schaik, N. & Awad, I. (in progress). Can the watchdog bite? Dutch journalism and the normalization of far-right discourse.’ Adaptation of Master’s thesis for Journalism Studies.
Presentations
“The power of the (new) media on defining neutrality.” Guest speaker at the event New Radicalisms. (October 12, 2024), (A)WAKE, Rotterdam.
Van Schaik, N. (2025, February 3–4). ‘Neutral’ journalism and the far right [Conference presentation]. Etmaal 2025, Brugge, Belgium. https://etmaal2025.org/