Rob Schouten

Rob Schouten (1954) is a Dutch writer, poet and columnist. Since 1980, he has been writing for Amsterdam daily Trouw and since 1981 has been a literary critic for weekly magazine Vrij Nederland.

Updated: 18 January 2017

By Rob Schouten

Literature: Max Havelaar, more than fair trade

Published in 1859, the book that gave its name to the fair trade movement remains a classic work of fiction. Notwithstanding, or perhaps, because of its avant-garde style and continued attempts to wrong-foot the reader, Max Havelaar's portrayal of colonial oppression in Indonesia still has lessons for modern readers.

30 December 2009 – Trouw (Amsterdam) 1 34

Rob Schouten

By Rob Schouten

Literature: Max Havelaar, more than fair trade