In the 19th century population growth reached unprecedented levels. Cities burst at their seams and states gradually took up greater responsibility for the common good. Around this time intellectuals, policy makers and politicians started to worry about the underclass, also labelled as ‘the residuum’, ‘Lumpenproletariat’, or the ‘classes dangereuses’, many of whom were extremely mobile. This lead to periods of moral panic and pessimistic forecasts with respect to their chances to become ‘good’ citizens. These ideas were voiced both by the left and the right of the political spectrum and concerned not only internal migrants, but also foreign immigration. Worries about the unchecked mobility of the indigenous working class therefore easily converged with nativist reactions towards foreigners.
In this comparative class we will analyse primary printed sources from various countries in order to understand the long term trends in the thinking about the underclass. We will not only look at ideas as such, but also how these were put into practice by various forms of social engineering (isolation, re-education, sterilization). Moreover we will try to identify the similarities between ideas about lower strata of society and low skilled immigrants in the period 1840-2007. Special attention will be paid to the position of the labour movement (both parties and unions) and the political left in general, which was (and still is) confronted with the dilemma of striving for emancipation of workers, but at the same time has to deal with enduring inequality of ‘uncivilized’ segments of the lower classes. Given de recent calls from labour parties in countries like the U.K. and the Netherlands to be tough on ‘antisocials’, this topic is quite timely and has not lost any of its relevance.
Timetable
Semester I, see timetables.
Method of Instruction
Research Seminar; attendance is compulsory ( see the rules and regulations of the Department of History, art. 2).
Course objectives
Students have to be able to analyse primary source materials and link these with the debates on these issues in the historiography. Students will formulate themselves their own specific topic for research and explain how this adds to our knowledge in this field.
Required reading
A number of articles which will be distributed at the beginning of the class.
Examination
Paper
Information
With the tutor: l.a.c.j.lucassen@let.leidenuniv.nl.
Overview
We will start with an intensive reading and discussion period, after which tasks and source will be divided
Application Courses, Seminars and Exams
MA course enrolment forms can be downloaded here.