Dutch Culture: Society and Current Issues

2/28707
label Diverse autorenew 2025-09-29, 17:00 history_edu Silviu Marinescu
This course will explore the question of Dutch identity by placing the Dutch society in a wider European and transatlantic perspective. You will analyze internationally debated issues in Dutch society such as euthanasia and drugs policy, as well as the heated disputes over immigration and integration after the political murders of Pim Fortuyn and Theo van Gogh.

Every week will be devoted to a specific theme:

Theme 1: Society. Lectures discuss the most characteristic institutions and arrangements of Dutch society such as the welfare state. Since the Dutch live in a small geographical space, environmental planning and engineering always have been of vital importance to them. You will learn about the real role of the windmills, but also about other factors that contributed to the economical success and international orientation of the Netherlands

.Theme 2: Contemporary Issues. The last week of this course explores public debates in Dutch society at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Topics discussed are religious diversity and secularization, immigration and integration, permissiveness and Dutch law in action and the traditions of cooperation and international law reflected in the Peace Palace and the International Criminal Court.

Period
05-08-2013 - 16-08-2013 (2 weeks)

Target group
The programme is open for students from all disciplines, although the course will focus on the humanities and social sciences.



Course aim
This course introduces participants to the history, society and culture of the Netherlands. By studying Dutch society and culture in an international context, you will be offered an incentive to reflect anew on your own culture and society in an international atmosphere.

Credits
3.0 ECTS credits

Certificate of Attendance

Course fee
EUR 1045: Course + course materials + housing + mealplan

Course leader
dr. Jaap Verheul & drs. Maurits Rost

Scholarships
Utrecht Summer School doesn't offer scholarships for this course.

Utrecht University
Address: PO BOX 80148
Postal code: 3508 TC
City: Utrecht
Country: Netherlands
Website: http://www.utrechtsummerschool.nl
E-mail: summerschool@uu.nl
Phone: 0031302534400