Discovering the Dutch
On Culture and Society of the Netherlands
Emmeline Besamusca editor Jaap Verheul editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Amsterdam University Press
Published:18th Nov '14
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What are the most salient and sparking facts about the Netherlands? This updated edition of 'Discovering the Dutch' tackles the heart of the question of Dutch identity through a number of essential themes that span the culture, history and society of the Netherlands. Running the gamut from the Randstad to the Dutch Golden Age, from William of Orange to Anne Frank, this volume uses a series of vignettes written by academic experts in their fields to address historical and contemporary topics such as immigration, tolerance, and the struggle against water, as well as issues of culture - painting, literature, architecture, and design among them.
All chapters are written by academic experts in their fields who have extensive experience in explaining the many features of "Dutchness" to a foreign audience. Each chapter comes to life in vignettes that illustrate characteristic historical figures or essential aspects in Dutch culture and society from William of Orange and Anne Frank to Dutch cheese and the inevitable coffeeshop.
"From Rembrandt to Anne Frank, pancakes to coffee shops, canal houses to modern design, this volume explores myths and explodes misconceptions about the Netherlands and 'Dutchness'. Whether you are planning to spend a week in Amsterdam or are writing a dissertation on Dutch culture and history, this is a very useful volume." - Russell Shorto, author of The Island at the Center of the World
"Like the paintings of Holland’s Golden Age, the Dutch themselves have many layers of meaning. Discovering the Dutch unravels the mysteries and contradictions of these people, to whom we owe the foundations of western principles of democracy and justice. Did you know that Hans Brinker was more American than Dutch? Want to understand how the Dutch Calvinists literally bet their houses on a tulip bulb? Read this book for these and other fascinating insights." - Cynthia P. Schneider, former U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands
"Judicious, useful, expert and concise - it would be hard to imagine a better guide to the cultural and historical reality of Dutch society today." - Jonathan Israel, author of The Dutch Republic
ISBN: 9789089647924
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
352 pages