News Release

Dutch culture translated into English

Book Announcement

Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research

The priority programme 'Dutch Culture in a European Context' addressed the place of Dutch culture in Europe and the significance of the European context for Dutch culture. The programme was started in 1992, due to the realisation that national boundaries were increasingly losing their importance as a result of European unification. The research concentrated on four reference points, namely 1650, 1800, 1900 and 1950. A book was published for each reference point and the series is concluded with the volume 'Accounting for the Past' which reflects on the four reference points.

The five books describe the characteristics of Dutch culture in a European context. It is a story of cultural patterns and peculiarities in the Netherlands. The books cover cultural history in the widest possible sense. They not only cover science, art, music and literature, but also education, religion and urbanisation. The historical series focuses on the cultural debate: how should you live and how should society be organised?

The titles of the five English books are:

1. Willem Frijhoff and Marijke Spies, 1650: Hard-Won Unity

2. Joost Kloek and Wijnand Mijnhardt, 1800: Blueprints for a National Community

3. Jan Bank and Maarten van Buuren, 1900: The Age of Bourgeois Culture

4. Kees Schuyt and Ed Taverne, 1950: Prosperity and Welfare

5. Douwe Fokkema and Frans Grijzenhout, eds., Accounting for the Past: 1650-2000

As well as this series, the programme saw the publication of some 20 monographs and dissertations as well as a large number of publications in scientific and specialised journals. The priority programme ran for nine years and involved ten universities.

The research was funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.


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