Description
In this course both ‘classics’ and some new scholarly literature on Dutch Politics will be studied intensively. By doing so, students obtain a general overview of the changes in the Dutch polity during the last 50 years as well as an insight in the various ways to conduct research on the changes in Dutch politics. An emphasis will be put on the transformation from a pillarized society with consociational democracy to a less segmented but no less heterogeneous society with political elites acting either in an antagonistic or a more consensual way.
Very often changes in Dutch politics are ascribed to ‘depillarization’of society. But ‘depillarization’ began about 50 years ago and can hardly explain the variety of changes during the last decades. How has political science tried to grasp these changes?
Methods of Instruction
The course will be conducted primarily using lectures on the scholarly literature relevant to this topic, but with discussion on the assigned readings.
Passive knowledge of Dutch is required for this course. Students will be expected to do a great deal of reading and to actively participate in discussing and presenting the literature.
Examination
Class attendance and participation is mandatory. Students are expected to write an argumentative report on the literature (3500 words).
Schedule
Monday 1November till 20 December, 11.00.-13.00 hrs., in SA37