The recent change in the nature of Dutch political debate and the upheaval in Dutch parliament have generated a new interest in their historical development. Dutch parliament has always had a quiet reputation, but in the 19th century members of parliament challenged each other to a duel, and in the 1930s some of them actually came to blows. In this course we will try to trace the rules of political debate in the Netherlands from the 19th century onwards, in particular the informal and implicit rules. What have been the do’s and don’ts in Dutch politics? In order to do so we will concentrate on cases where the existing rules were broken or stretched and new rules were introduced; we will study parliament, but will also look for other forms of debates, in societies, pressure groups, political parties and even in the public square. After a general introduction students will be invited to select and study a specific case (which they may or may not suggest themselves). The course will also include a comparison with Belgian political debates, and as part of a cooperation with the university of Antwerp we will visit not only the Dutch parliament in The Hague but also the Belgian parliament in Brussels and, if possible, work together with Belgian students.
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
Knowledge of the development of political debate and the development of politics in general in the Netherlands, understanding of this development and of the style and nature of debate, being able to put current political debate in a historical perspective
Required reading
Will be announced at the beginning of the course.
Examination
Small assignments, oral presentation, final paper
Information
With the tutor: h.te.velde@let.leidenuniv.nl.
Overview
General introduction, small assignments, presentation of research questions and sources to be used, visits to Dutch and Belgian parliaments, oral presentations
Remarks
Reading, and preferably listening, proficiency in Dutch
Application Courses, Seminars and Exams
MA course enrolment forms can be downloaded here.