Erasmus University Rotterdam

dr. (Jeff) J.D. Handmaker

dr. (Jeff) J.D. Handmaker
Senior Lecturer in Law, Human Rights and Development International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) Academic Staff Unit
Location
Erasmus University
Room
I 3-10
Telephone
+31 70 4260585
Email
handmaker@iss.nl

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Profile

I joined the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam in February 2007. Among my external academic appointments, I have been an honorary research fellow in the School of Law at the University of the Witwatersrand since January 2007, an Editor (since 2013) of the South African Journal on Human Rights and a visiting research fellow in the Department of Sociology at Princeton University in 2017.

I studied law in England (1992: LLB, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and 1994: LLM, with Merit, School of Oriental and African Studies, London) and was called to the English bar in 1995. After fifteen years as a human rights practitioner in South Africa and The Netherlands, in 2009 I obtained a PhD in…

I joined the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam in February 2007. Among my external academic appointments, I have been an honorary research fellow in the School of Law at the University of the Witwatersrand since January 2007, an Editor (since 2013) of the South African Journal on Human Rights and a visiting research fellow in the Department of Sociology at Princeton University in 2017.

I studied law in England (1992: LLB, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and 1994: LLM, with Merit, School of Oriental and African Studies, London) and was called to the English bar in 1995. After fifteen years as a human rights practitioner in South Africa and The Netherlands, in 2009 I obtained a PhD in the sociology of law at Utrecht University with a thesis on "Advocating for Accountability: Civic-State Interactions to Protect Refugees in South Africa", published by Intersentia (Antwerp).

From the early 1990s, off and on until early 2000, which included short stints as assistant to a British Member of Parliament and as legal advisor for the Dutch Refugee Council, I held various positions for the South African organisation Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR).  For seven years following my time with LHR I completed numerous assignments as a freelance consultant, trainer and researcher, based in The Hague. I trained government officials, police officers, military personnel, lawyers, NGOs and journalists and advised governments, the United Nations and civil society organisations in the development sector on a wide range of human rights and legal issues, developing particular regional experience in Southern Africa and Palestine.

Since 1999, I have published scholarly work, in academic and other journals, as well as four books and one special issue of a journal.

My academic research has been in three, overlapping areas, all concerning the potential for legal mobilisation to lead to progressive structural change.

The first, long-standing area of research has theorized and evaluated the structural opportunities and constraints of civic-state interactions in the context of human rights advocacy and in particular public interest litigation, with a particular focus on refugees and migrants. While this area of research has focused primarily on South Africa, I have also written on legal mobilization in Latin America, Palestine and the Netherlands. This area of reseach has also critiqued the deleterious effects of evaluating legal doctrine without critically taking into account the social, historical and political context and the pedagogies of legal learning from crisis.

A second, related area of research has been to critically evaluate the content and implementation of laws and policies and the roles of civic actors in the framing and enforcement of these policies. In this area, I have focussed primarily on refugee laws and policies in South Africa, but I have also been examining the negative consequences of the social reproduction by migration experts of concepts such as ‘irregular migration’, and the uncritical application of legal-doctrinal concepts in legal-political analyses of armed conflict and international criminal justice.

A third research area has critically evaluated efforts by civic actors, states and international institutions, to enforce international criminal law, both through international tribunals and in national legal systems.

In 2005, I received a WOTRO award to support field research in South Africa from the Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO). Since working at ISS, I have participated in various grants, including a two-year programme funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), a two-year programme funded by Hivos and a teaching project in Suriname. At the end of 2014, together with colleagues from the Erasmus School of Law I was jointly awarded a five-year (2015-2020) matching grant from EUR, amounting to a combined institutional commitment of 1.6 million Euros.

        • J.D. Handmaker (2017). Refugees: Overview. In O. De Schutter (Ed.), Legal Issues Across the Globe (pp. 197-199). Detroit: Cengage
        • J.D. Handmaker (2015). Taking Academic Freedom Seriously: Exploring the Legal and Moral Underpinnings of BDS. In A. Imseis (Ed.), The Palestine Yearbook of International Law (pp. 101-114). Leiden: Brill[go to publisher's site]
        • C. Mora & J.D. Handmaker (2014). Migrants’ Citizenship and Rights: Limits and Potential for NGOs’ Advocacy in Chile. In T. Truong, D. Gasper, J. Handmaker & S. Bergh (Eds.), Migration, Gender and Social Justice: Perspectives on Human Insecurity (Hexagon Series on Human and Environmental Security and Peace, 9) (pp. 281-290). Heidelberg: Springer[go to publisher's site]
        • J.D. Handmaker & C. Mora (2014). 'Experts': the mantra of irregular migration and the reproduction of hierarchies. In M. Ambrus, K. Arts, E. Hey & H. Raulus (Eds.), The Role of ‘Experts' in International and European Decision-Making Processes: Advisors, Decision Makers or Irrelevant Actors? (pp. 263-287) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press[go to publisher's site]
        • T. Truong, D. Gasper & J.D. Handmaker (2014). Migration, gender, social justice, and human insecurity. In T-D. Truong, D. Gasper, J. Handmaker & S. Bergh (Eds.), Migration, gender and social justice: perspectives on human insecurity (Hexagon Series on Human and Environmental Security and Peace, 9) (pp. 3-26). Heidelberg: Springer
        • J.D. Handmaker (2013). In Search of a Human Face in the Middle East: Addressing Israeli Impunity for War Crimes. In M. Matthee, B. Toebes & M..M..T..A. Brus (Eds.), Armed Conflict and International Law: In Search of the Human Face - Liber Amicorum in Memory of Avril McDonald (pp. 155-168). The Hague: T.M.C. Asser Press, Distributed by Springer
        • J.D. Handmaker (2011). Beyond Exclusion: Assessing Palestinian Refugees¿ Struggle for Protection and Recognition and their Potential Contribution to a Peace Settlement. In K. van der Borght, K. Byttebier & C. Mackenzie (Eds.), Imagining a Shared Future: Perspectives on Law, Conflict and Economic Development in the Middle East (pp. 197-222). London: Cameron May
        • R. Berkhout, J.D. Handmaker (2010). Introduction to Mobilising Social Justice: critical discussions on the potential for civic action and structural change. In J.D. Handmaker & R. Berkhout (Eds.), Mobilising Social Justice: Perspectives from Researchers and Practitioners (pp. 1-10). Pretoria: Pretoria University Law Press
        • R. Berkhout & J.D. Handmaker (2010). Unlocking the Potential for Civic Action and Structural Change: Reflections on Mobilising Social Justice. In J.D. Handmaker & R. Berkhout (Eds.), Mobilising Social Justice: Perspectives from Researchers and Practitioners (Human Rights in Context Series, 2) (pp. 177-191). Pretoria: Pretoria University Law Press
        • J.D. Handmaker (2010). Civic-State Interactions and the Potential for Structural Change. In J.D. Handmaker & R. Berkhout (Eds.), Mobilising Social Justice: Perspectives from Researchers and Practitioners (pp. 11-39). Pretoria: Pretoria University Law Press
        • K. Arts & J.D. Handmaker (2010). Cultures of Constitutionalism: An Introduction. In M. Frishman & S. Muller (Eds.), The Dynamics of Constitutionalism in the Age of Globalisation (From Peace to Justice Series) (pp. 49-55). The Hague: Hague Academic Press
        • R. Berkhout, J.D. Handmaker (2010). Introduction to Mobilising Social Justice: critical discussions on the potential for civic action and structural change. In J.D. Handmaker & R. Berkhout (Eds.), Mobilising Social Justice: Perspectives from Researchers and Practitioners (pp. 1-10). Pretoria: Pretoria University Law Press
        • D. Ndssomin, J.D. Handmaker (2008). Solucao Duravel: Implementing a Durable Solution for Angolan Refugees in South Africa. In Advancing Refugee Protection in South Africa (pp. 136-166). Oxford / New York: Berghahn Books
        • J.D. Handmaker, L. De la Hunt & J. Klaaren (2008). Conclusion. In J.D. Handmaker, L. De la Hunt & J. Klaaren (Eds.), Advancing Refugee Protection in South Africa (Human Rights in Context Series, 2) (pp. 278-290). Oxford / New York: Berghahn Books
        • J.D. Handmaker, L. De la Hunt & J. Klaaren (2008). Introduction. In J.D. Handmaker, L. De la Hunt & J. Klaaren (Eds.), Advancing Refugee Protection in South Africa (Human Rights in Context Series, 2) (pp. 1-10). Oxford/New York: Berghahn Books
        • F. Belvedere, P. Pigou & J.D. Handmaker (2008). Realising Rights: The Development of Health and Welfare Policies for Asylum-seekers and Refugees in South Africa. In Advancing Refugee Protection in South Africa (Human Rights in Context Series, 2) (pp. 242-277). Oxford / New York: Berghahn Books
        • D. Ndssomin, J.D. Handmaker (2008). Solucao Duravel: Implementing a Durable Solution for Angolan Refugees in South Africa. In Advancing Refugee Protection in South Africa (pp. 136-166). Oxford / New York: Berghahn Books
        • V. Mayer, J. van Garderen, J.D. Handmaker & L. Anne de la Hunt (2008). Protecting the Most Vulnerable: Using the Existing Policy Framework to Strengthen Protection for Refugee Children. In Advancing Refugee Protection in South Africa (Human Rights in Context Series, 2) (pp. 186-213). Oxford / New York: Berghahn Books
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). Starting with a Clean Slate? Efforts to Deal with Asylum Application Backlogs in South Africa. In Advancing Refugee Protection in South Africa (Human Rights in Context Series, 2) (pp. 117-135). Oxford / New York: Berghahn Books
        • J.D. Handmaker & A. Nieuwhof (2006). 'No man's land: Government mistreatment of Palestinian asylum seekers. In K. Musalo, J. Moore & R. Boswell (Eds.), Refugee Law and Policy: A Comparative and International Approach (Third Edition) (pp. 41-43). Durham: Carolina Academic Press
        • J.D. Handmaker (2005). 'Responsibility to Protect When International Authorities Fail'. In S. Asfaw, P. Weiderud & G. Kerber (Eds.), The Responsibility to Protect: Ethical and Theological Reflections (pp. 70-82). Geneva: World Council of Churches

        • J.D. Handmaker (2015). Foreword. In N. al-Azza & A. al-Orzza (Eds.), Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2013-2015, Vol. VIII (pp. xxv). Bethlehem: BADIL Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights[go to publisher's site]
        • J.D. Handmaker (1998). Asylum Determination Process. In P. Bouckaert (Ed.), Prohibited Persons: Undocumented Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Africa (pp. 170-176). New York: Human Rights Watch

        • K. Arts & J.D. Handmaker (Ed.). (2010). Cultures of Constitutionalism [subsection]. The Hague: Hague Academic Press
        • J.D. Handmaker, L.A. De la Hunt & J. Klaaren (Ed.). (2008). Advancing Refugee Protection in South Africa (Human Rights in Context Series, No. 2) (Human Rights in Context Series, 2). Oxford / New York: Berghahn Books
        • J.D. Handmaker, L.A. De la Hunt & J. Klaaren (Ed.). (2001). Perspectives on Refugee Protection in South Africa. Pretoria: Lawyers for Human Rights

        • T. Truong, D. Gasper, J.D. Handmaker & S. Bergh (Ed.). (2014). Migration, Gender and Social Justice: Perspectives on Human Insecurity. (Hexagon Series on Human and Environmental Security and Peace, 9). Heidelberg: Springer
        • R. Berkhout & J.D. Handmaker (Ed.). (2010). Mobilising social justice in South Africa: Perspectives from Researchers and Practitioners. Pretoria: Pretoria University Law Press

      • J.D. Handmaker (2010). Noot bij: The Hague Court of Appeal. (2009, oktober 26), Oxford Reports on International Law in Domestic Courts 2010-, (Al Shami v Ayalon, Appeal judgment, No K08/0386 Rechtspraak.nl: BK7374 (translation of BK1478), ILDC 673 (NL 2009), 26th October 2009, CA (The Hague)).[go to publisher's site]
      • M. van Eik & J.D. Handmaker (2007). Noot bij: Afdeling Bestuursrechtspraak Raad van State. (2005, juni 27), Oxford Reports on International Law in Domestic Courts 2007-ILDC 543, (Case Report and Commentary of Minister for Immigration Affairs and Integration v. A and B, Afdeling Bestuursrechtspraak Raad van State, 22 February 2006, 200507814/1 (JV 2006/132)).
      • M. van Eik & J.D. Handmaker (2007). Noot bij: Afdeling Bestuursrechtspraak Raad van State. (2006, februari 22), Oxford Reports on International Law in Domestic Courts 2007-ILDC 546, (Case Report and Commentary of Minister for Immigration Affairs and Integration v. A and B, 200507814/1 (JV 2006/132)).
      • J.D. Handmaker & I. Magnee (2006). Noot bij: Netherlands, Council of State (Raad van State). (2004, juli 23), Oxford Reports on International Law in Domestic Courts 2006-ILDC 144, (), ‘Case Report and Commentary of Kesbir v. Minister of Justice’ Appeal Judgment, LJN: AQ5615, 200402639/1 and 200402651/1).

        • J.D. Handmaker (2012). Normative pluralism and legal consciousness in international criminal law: Lawfare and the struggle against impunity. Annual Meeting of the Dutch-Flemish Socio-Legal Studies Association = Jaarvergadering van de Vereniging voor de Sociaalwetenschappelijke Bestudering van het Recht: Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands (2012, januari 12 - 2012, januari 13).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2012). Theorizing Civic-State Interactions to Protect Migrants and Refugees. LASA 2012: Toward a Third Century of Independence in Latin America: XXX International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association: San Francisco, CA (2012, mei 23 - 2012, mei 26).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2012). Getting beyond the conflict: Understanding the impasse between Israel & the Palestinians. Presentation for the module 'Palestina-Israël Conflict' organised by Studievereniging Sirius, Utrecht Law College: Utrecht (2012, juni 7).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2012). Introduction to the conference theme: 'The Politics of Justice: from a human rights revolution to global justice?'. Ninth Annual Conference From Peace to Justice: The Hague (2012, oktober 12 - 2012, oktober 13).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2009). Demystifying the Wall: Dispossession and Impunity in the Ongoing Impasse Between Israel and the Palestinians.
        • J.D. Handmaker (2009). Understanding Nationalism in the Search for a Just Peace. Studium Generale Lecture Series: Wageningen (2009, maart 9).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2009). Internationaal Recht en Mensenrechten. Congress en Debaat: Impasse Tussen Israël en Palestijnen: Rotterdam (2009, februari 19).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2009). Swallowing the Bitter Pill: A Socio-Legal Approach to Resolving the Impasse Between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths to Peace: Toronto (2009, juni 22 - 2009, juni 24).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2009). Naar een op rechten gebaseerde oplossing in Palestina/Israel.
        • J.D. Handmaker (2009). 'Holding States and Companies Accountable in International Law'. Symposium on The International Court of Justice and Israel’s Wall: 5 years on Civil society in search of accountability: The Hague (2009, juli 9).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). Dutch bank must disinvest from rights abuses (Online article in Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, London, United Kingdom).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). (Re)defining the agenda (published in Haq-Al-Awda journal, Bethelehem, Occupied Palestine).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). On the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A critical dialogue on human rights (Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, 10 December 2008).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). Litigating Refugee Rights in South Africa (Paper presented at Research in Progress Seminar, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, 20 November 2008).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). Socio-legal analysis of civic interventions to protect refugees in South Africa (Paper presented at The State of International Migration Studies in Southern Africa, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, 17 - 19 March 2008).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). Discussant: Refugee & Policy in US / Canada from legal / historical perspective (Paper presented at Joint Annual Meeting of the LSA and CLSA, Montreal, Canada, 29 May - 1 June 2008).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). Realising Palestinian Rights: Socio-legal critiques (Paper presented at Course on Law and Society, Roosevelt Academy (Utrecht University), Middelburg, 29 September 2008).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2008). From Jerusalem to The Hague: Reflections on the ICJ Wall Decision (Paper presented at the conference on The Wall and the Law, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, 9 May 2008).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2007). Refugee Act - 10 Years On: What legislative changes are needed for a more effective asylum system?' (Panel presentation at the international conference organised by Mandela Institute of the School of Law and Forced Migration Studies Programme Johannesburg, South Africa on 12 September).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2007). Litigating Refugee Rights in South Africa (Paper presented at the international conference on "Law and Society in the 21st Century: Transformations, Resistances, Futures" organised by Humboldt University Law and Society Association and Research Committee on Sociology of Law in Berlin on 25-28 July 2007).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2007). Een situatie van straffeloosheid (transl. A Situation of Impunity) (Paper presented in a workshop on "Make My Day" organised by the University of Leiden Studentenvereniging Ontwikkelingssamenwerking The Netherlands on 30 March 2007).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2007). Challenging Apartheid, Claming Humanity (Guest editorial in an NGO journal entitled Haq-Al-Awda published by Badil Bethlehem).

        • J.D. Handmaker (2012). Jury report, Awarding of the 2012 Visions of Peace Thesis Prize. Visies of Vrede / Visions of Peace Symposium: The Hague (2012, november 16).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2010). Public Interest Litigation in South Africa and the Potential for Structural Change. Law and Society Association Conference: Chicago, Illinois (2010, mei 27 - 2010, mei 30).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2010). Refugee Rights: Advocacy and Outreach. Helsinki Citizens Assembly: Istanbul, Turkey (2010, juli 5 - 2010, juli 6).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2009). Workshop Paper on International Law and Human Rights. Expert Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East: Rotterdam (2009, januari 26).

        • J.D. Handmaker (2010). Het recht op terugkeer? Doorbreken van de impasse.
        • J.D. Handmaker (2010). `Ending the impasse: Should one agree to disagree? Studium Generale: Tilburg (2010, maart 9).
        • J.D. Handmaker (2009). Gaza en verkiezingen in Israël.

        • J.D. Handmaker (Ed.). (2011) DevISSues, 13(1).

        • J.D. Handmaker, J. Klaaren & J. Dugard (Eds.). (2011) South African Journal on Human Rights, 27(1).

      • J.D. Handmaker (2016, januari 14). Legal mobilisation als analytisch kader voor de betrokkenheid van bedrijven bij mensenrechtenschendingen in de Palestijnse gebieden. Den Haag, Jaarvergadering Vereniging voor de Sociaalwetenschappelijke bestudering van het Recht.
      • J.D. Handmaker (2015, mei 28). The ‘Promise and Pathos’ of Legal Mobilization: Perspectives on Palestine. Seattle, WA, USA, Annual Meeting of the Law and Society Association.
      • J.D. Handmaker (2015, november 2). Legal mobilisation as a lens for law and development studies. International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, ISS-IDLO Symposium: Current research on legal mobilisation.
      • J.D. Handmaker (2015, januari 28). Legal Mobilization and the Potential for Transformative Change Through the South African Judiciary. School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, 30 Years SAJHR Conference: Transformation and the Courts.

  • Nederlands Juristen Comite Mensenrechten

    Start Date
    Jun/2014
    End Date
    Is current
    Place
    LEIDEN
    Description
    PILP Projectraad
    Specialty
    Law, Human Right and Development

  • 3105 Research Paper Preparation

    Title
    3105 Research Paper Preparation
    Year
    2018
    Period
    TERM1B

    4153 Cont. Perspectives onSocial Justice

    Title
    4153 Cont. Perspectives onSocial Justice
    Year
    2018
    Period
    TERM1B

    4216 Human Rights, Law and Society

    Title
    4216 Human Rights, Law and Society
    Year
    2018
    Period
    TERM2

    4307 Politics of Global Development

    Title
    4307 Politics of Global Development
    Year
    2018
    Period
    TERM3

    Board of Examiners

    Title
    Board of Examiners
    Year
    2018
    Period
    TERM1A, TERM1B, TERM2, TERM3, TERM4

    Major SJP

    Title
    Major SJP
    Year
    2018
    Period
    TERM1A, TERM1B, TERM2, TERM3, TERM4

    General Information

    Title
    General Information
    Year
    2018
    Period
    TERM1A, TERM1B, TERM2, TERM3, TERM4

  • Law & Society Review

    Role
    Ad Hoc Reviewer

    International Migration

    Role
    Ad Hoc Reviewer

    Africa Today

    Role
    Ad Hoc Reviewer

    Law and Social Inquiry. Journal of the American Bar Foundation

    Role
    Ad Hoc Reviewer

    South African Journal of Human Rights

    Role
    Editor
    Start Date
    Aug/2013
    End Date
    Dec/2016

    Journal of Refugee Studies

    Role
    Ad Hoc Reviewer

    South African Journal on Human Rights

    Role
    Editor in Chief
    Start Date
    Jan/2017

  • Senior Lecturer in Law, Human Rights and Development

    University
    Erasmus University
    School
    International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
    Department
    Academic Staff Unit
    Country
    Nederland
    Telephone
    +31 70 4260585

    Lecturer in Law, Human Rights and Development

    University
    Erasmus University
    School
    International Institute of Social Studies
    Department
    States, Societies and World Development
    Country
    Nederland
    Telephone
    +31 70 4260585

  • Wits School of Law, Johannesburg

    Role
    Honorary Research Fellow
    Obtained Wage
    no
    Start Date
    Feb/2009
    End Date
    Jan/2012

    3R Foundation (Netherlands)

    Additional Information
    Member of the Board from 2010
    Role
    Chair
    Obtained Wage
    no
    Start Date
    Apr/2011
    End Date
    Jul/2013

    Stichting Vredeswetenschappen

    Additional Information
    Dutch Foundation for Peace Sciences (Member of the Advisory Council)
    Role
    Lid van het Raad van Advies
    Obtained Wage
    no
    Start Date
    Apr/2011

    Collaborative Research Network, Citizenship & Migration of the Law and Society Association

    Role
    Co-organiser
    Obtained Wage
    no
    End Date
    Jun/2012

    Wits School of Law, Johannesburg

    Role
    Honorary Senior Research Fellow
    Obtained Wage
    no
    Start Date
    Feb/2012
    End Date
    Jan/2015

    Africa Studies Centre, University of Leiden

    Role
    Fellow
    Obtained Wage
    no
    Start Date
    May/2012

    Utrecht Journal of International and European Law

    Additional Information
    http://www.utrechtjournal.org/
    Role
    Member of the Permanent Board of Referees 2014-15
    Start Date
    May/2014
    End Date
    May/2015

    Nederlands Juristen Comité voor de Mensenrechten (NJCM)

    Role
    Member Advisory Board, Public Interest Litigation Project
    Start Date
    Sep/2014

    Tadamun Foundation

    Additional Information
    Foundation registered in The Netherlands, with strong links to Defence for Children International.
    Role
    Board member
    Start Date
    Apr/2015

    Princeton University, Department of Sociology

    Additional Information
    On sabbatical, conducting research on Legal Mobilization with Professor Kim Lane Scheppele.
    Role
    Departmental Guest Researcher
    Start Date
    Mar/2017
    End Date
    Jun/2017

Address

Visiting address

Kortenaerkade 12 2518 AX 's-Gravenhage

Postal address

Postbus 29776 2502 LT 's-Gravenhage

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