Linguistic anthropologist-sociolinguist, doctor in African history and philology. Professor in Language, Culture, and Globalisation at Tilburg University (NL). He is also connected to the University of Ghent (BE), University of the Western Cape (SA), and Beijing Language and Culture University (CN). Member of the Round Table for Socialists and of the Vooruitgroep. Received the Arkprijs van het Vrije Woord (Ark Price for Free Speech) in 1993. Author/co-author of, amongst others, The crisis of the democracy, socialism for (re)beginners, the reinvention of society, the 360 degree employee.