ABOUT THIS BOOK
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 ŸDutchnessŒ 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.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Emmeline Besamusca lectures in Dutch Culture at Utrecht University and at th eUniversity of Vienna.Jaap Verheul is associate professor of history and director of the American Studies Program at Utrecht University.

REVIEWS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Note for the Revised Edition 11Introduction 13Emmeline Besamusca and Jaap VerheulNeither Wooden Legs nor Wooden Shoes: Elusive Encounters with Dutchness 16Wiljan van den AkkerSociety1 Citizens, Coalitions, and the Crown 21Emmeline BesamuscaQueen Máxima: Enchanting the Monarchy 23Binnenhof: Traditional Heart of a Modern Democracy 262 Politics between Accommodation and Commotion 33Ido de HaanPillarization: Pacification and Segregation 34Pim Fortuyn: Libertarian Populist 393 Economy of the Polder 45Jan Luiten van ZandenBulbs, Flowers, and Cheese: The Agricultural Face of an Urban Economy 45Royal Dutch Shell: Corporate Legacy of Colonialism 494 Dilemmas of the Welfare State 57Lex Heerma van VossLabor Productivity: Balancing Work and Leisure 58Pensions: Well-Deserved and Well-Funded 635 Randstad Holland 69Ben de Pater and Rob van der VaartThe Amsterdam Canal Ring: Urban Heritage of the Golden Age 70The Port of Rotterdam: Logistical Hub of Europe 756 Distinctive within the Global Fold? 83Paul SchnabelThe Elfstedentocht: Beating the Forces of Nature 86Sinterklaas: A Controversial Morality Tale 91History7 From the Periphery to the Center 97Marco MostertThe Roman Limes: A Cultural Meeting Place 99Hebban Olla Vogala: The Beginnings of Literature 1058 The Golden Age 109Maarten PrakThe Tulip Bubble: Horticultural Speculation 111William of Orange: Founding Father 1139 A Tradition of Tolerance 121Wijnand MijnhardtHugo Grotius: Founder of Enlightenment Thought 124Baruch de Spinoza: Philosopher of Liberty 12610 From Colonial Past to Postcolonial Present 133Gert OostindieSlavery: Recognizing a Black Page in Dutch History 134Indonesian Independence: Silenced Warfare, Hesitant Reconciliation 13911 The Second World War: The Dilemmas of Occupation 145Christ KlepAusweis: The Dangers of Identity Registration 148Anne Frank: Icon of the Holocaust 15212 Religious Diversification or Secularization? 157David BosThe Portuguese Synagogue: Monument of Asylum 162Mosques in the Polder: Corner Stones or Stumbling Blocks? 165Arts & Culture13 The Making of Rembrandt and Van Gogh 171Ghislain Kieft and Quirine van der SteenVermeer: Interior Fantasies 175Mondrian: Is this Art? 17914 Style and Lifestyle in Architecture 183Rob DettingmeijerThe Rietveld Schröder House: Icon of Architecture for the Modern Age 187The Royal Tropical Institute: Architectural Symbol of Colonialism 19415 Literature, Authors, and Public Debate 199Frans Ruiter and Wilbert SmuldersMultatuli: Anti-Colonial Literature 202 The Assault:Writing the Second World War 20616 Three Feminist Waves 211Rosemarie Buikema and Iris van der TuinJoke Smit: Mobilizing Female Discontent 213Dolle Mina: Second-Wave Feminism and the Media 21617 The Double Bind of Television 223Sonja de LeeuwBroadcasting Guides: Mediating Identities 224Utopia: Selling a Window on the Future 23118 Global Dutch 235Marjo van KoppenAfrikaans: Creolized Heritage 242Frisian: Acknowledging Linguistic Pluralism 244Contemporary Issues19 Living with Water 249Rob van der VaartThe Beemster Polder: Masterpiece of Designed Reclamation 250The Great Flood: Inducement for the Delta Works 25320 Excellence and Egalitarianism in Higher Education 261Jeroen Torenbeek and Jan VeldhuisAletta Jacobs: Emancipation through Education 265University College Utrecht: Challenging Academic Traditions 26921 Immigration and Diversity 275Han EntzingerIndonesian Rijsttafel: Sharing the Table 277Ahmed Aboutaleb: Mayor of a Diverse City 28322 Legal Culture 287Wibo van RossumCoffeeshops: Controlled Permissiveness 290Smoking Ban: Between Health and Liberty 29423 Idealism and Self-Interest in the World 299Duco HellemaHollanditis: The Politics of Pacifism 301Srebrenica: A Catastrophic Peace Mission 30624 In Foreign Eyes 311Jaap VerheulHans Brinker: Morality Behind the Dikes 315Frau Antje: Ambassador of Dutchness 318Notes 323About the Authors 335Illustrations 341Index 34