Description
The Netherlands is an eye-catching case from a political science perspective for a number of reasons: it has remained a monarchy for almost two centuries, despite its republican past; Arend Lijphart coined the well-known concept of consociationalism based on his study of the way Dutch elites accommodated the tensions between the various subcultures; in comparison to other countries, electoral volatility was quite high in the 1990s and 2000s, partly due to the Dutch electoral system of extreme proportional representation; institutional conservatism in the national democratic system (no elected mayor; no referendum) has been accompanied with major reforms in local politics (municipal amalgamation; separation of executive and legislative); its polder model would have brought about the Dutch miracle; fierce debates on the Islam and the no vote against the European Constitutional Treaty have raised considerable doubts on the pro-European and multicultural image the Netherlands obtained over the last decades…
In the course, we will examine these and other aspects of Dutch politics with the help of political science publications in order to understand its (at least partly) eye-catching nature. By doing so, the participants acquaint themselves with essential studies of Dutch politics, while learning theories and methods that have been and can be used by themselves to explore Dutch politics.
Methods of Instruction
Short introductions on the assigned literature will be followed by intensive discussions of the literature. Students are expected to study the required readings in advance and participate actively in the discussions. Good passive knowledge of Dutch is required for this course. If all students are Dutch speaking, meetings will be held in Dutch.
Literature
Approximately 1,000 pages. A list of required readings will be made available at least one month in advance.
Examination
Class attendance and participation are mandatory. Students are expected to write reports on the readings.
Schedule
Monday 29 October till 17 December, 13.00-15.00 hrs, SA05