Picture of a notebook and a laptop, maybe a 6th sense staff writer workplace

You might have noticed that 6th Sense has been growing: more articles, more authors, more Europe – and more YOU. We’re excited to be joined by a brand-new team of 6th Sense staff writers who will be contributing regularly to comment and report on what’s going on “right here, right now”. Read on to find out who they are.

Niklas Illenseer

Equipped with a background in Economics, Niklas currently studies Environmental Policy at Sciences Po Paris and Political Science at FU Berlin. Socio-ecological politics, political economy, and intersectional feminism ring his bell as much as queer pop culture references, nutritional yeast, and good food.


Eden Lutz

Photo of new 6th Sense staff writer Eden

My name is Eden and I’m a Dutch student of international relations, with a background in political science and Middle Eastern studies. Currently based in Leiden and Amsterdam, I will primarily be reporting on what’s new in Dutch politics and society, but always with a European or even global focus. I am most passionate about (intersectional) feminist issues, social and economic justice, political philosophy, security policy(making), and understanding political and societal power structures. If you want me to keep my mouth shut about these things, just for once, please, your best bet is to distract it with some good food.


Benjamin Schmidt

Photo of 6th Sense staff writer Ben

Benjamin is driven by a deep curiosity for people and society. After studying Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics in his bachelor’s, he spent two years working in various start-ups and industries in Berlin. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration and Philosophy at Copenhagen Business School. Besides writing for Europe & Me, Ben likes to spend his free time diving deeper into philosophical theories with his friends (preferably over a glass of home-brewed beer or kombucha).


Hendrik Steinort

photo of 6th Sense staff writer HendrikA political philosopher by mind and a contrarian by heart. Born and raised on the post-glacial landscape of Schleswig-Holstein, edged between a fjord and the Baltic Sea. Hendrik is a sworn nemesis to Ms, Mr and X ressentiment. Cultural relativist, cosmopolitan, lover of [all] ideas (lefthegelian), living in Berlin in the house of being. Binge beast, gangsta-rap admirer, Delphi tripper and proto-philosopher.


Maria Taskinen

Photo of new 6th Sense staff writer Maria

My name is Maria and I’m currently living in Amsterdam for my studies in Political Science. I’m originally from Helsinki, Finland, but have also spent a year in Paris. In my articles, I want to zoom in on the political and social life in the Nordic-Baltic countries and focus on EU-Russia relations as well as security policy. More generally, I’m interested in following the EU’s economic policy making, the unfolding of post-Covid realities across the member states or any other hot topic that’s sparking a discussion on a larger European scale. If you’re interested in the same issues (or love dark bread and cross-country skiing), please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Are you reading this and thinking “this could be me”? We’re hoping to add more voices to our 6th Sense staff writers team, so send us an email at sarah@europeandme.eu and jurek@europeandme.eu with your CV and a sample of your writing.

Cover photo by Nick Morrison (Unsplash), Unsplash licence

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