Description
Since the beginning of a new century, Dutch politics stopped ‘being dull’. New parties and politicians emerged with an apparently completely different style and agenda. Populism is one of the terms which appears frequently in popular and specialist writings about all the new developments in Dutch politics. Still the term populism seems rarely fully understood. Is it a political style or an ideology? What are the connections between democracy, populism and representative politics? Is it a right-wing or a left-wing phenomenon or neither?
In this course we will examine the presence of populism in Dutch politics in the new (21st) and old (20th) century. At first, we will identify the defining elements of populism by examining the international literature on this subject. Then we will apply our concept to various Dutch movements, politicians and parties in past and present. Finally, we will try to determine the conditions for success and failure of populism in the Netherlands. Some (passive) knowledge of the Dutch language is recommended.
Methods of instruction
Lectures, plenary discussions, presentations
Study material
A selection of articles and book chapters, approximately 1000 pages.
Paul Taggart, Populism (Philadelphia 2000)
Ian Buruma, Murder in Amsterdam. The death of Theo van Gogh and the limits of tolerance (London 2006)
Examination
A presentation, a book review during the course and one term paper.
Time table
Monday October 27, till December 15, 11.00-13.00 p.m., in SA21 (except October 27, till November 24 11.00 a.m.-13.00 p.m. in 5B04) and
Wednesday October 29, till December 17, 13.00 -15.00 p.m., in Ch09