Culture & society : transhistorical approaches

Teacher(s)

Sergier Matthieu;

Language

Dutch

Prerequisites

Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages 

Main themes

This course deals with the material and non-material realities of the present-day Dutch-speaking world: the historical development and contemporary meaning of certain cultural/societal/political realities as well as their mutual interactions and regional/international differences. 
We will focus on case studies that address specific questions that are relevant within a present-day context and that illustrate at the same time a larger historical embeddedness. 
The course introduces basic concepts and tools within the various (inter)disciplinary domains that will be dealt with in this teaching unit. It will also provide the students with a better understanding of critical and scientific texts and discourses in Dutch, dealing with the various topics of the course. 

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Understand political, cultural and societal realities and questions of the Dutch-speaking world within their contemporary context and their mutual interactions;
2	Understand and analyse contemporary realities of the Dutch-speaking world against their historical background;
3	Understand and identify the nuances and differences between societal developments in different regions of the Dutch-speaking world;
4	Use the basic concepts and tools within the various (inter)disciplinary domains that will be dealt with in this teaching unit and apply them to the Dutch-speaking context ; master the basic vocabulary and terminology, in Dutch, of the fields of study that are dealt with ; understand and follow a Dutch-language conference or read a Dutch-language critical or scientific article about specific societal subjects from a transhistorical perspective ;
5	Connect the analysis of the specific case studies of the course to other situations in- or outside of the present-day Dutch-speaking world, hence developing a critical attitude and transversal competences that are useful for other academic courses.
This learning unit contributes to the development and command of the following skills and learning outcomes of the ELAL programmes: 4.3. ; 5.6.

Content

This course aims to provide a better understanding of the “cultural identity” (Hobsbawn, Anderson) of the inhabitants of Flanders and the Netherlands through a diachronic analysis of certain fundamental values that characterize these nations: language, dominant political and religious ideologies and their transmission, and finally artistic expressions, with a particular focus on painting.
The course is divided into three parts, preceded by a theoretical introduction to the concept of “cultural identity.”
Analysis of the values and norms of Dutch-speaking countries through their artistic works;
Flemish identity analyzed from the perspective of its emancipation movement (‘Vlaamse Beweging’) and the fundamental role played by linguistic recognition, first as a cultural value and later as an identity value widely shared by the general population. As this part also addresses the various reforms of the state, it provides an opportunity to study the political organization of the country;
The third part focuses on the Netherlands, a breeding ground for cultural tolerance and, at the same time, the country of Geert Wilders' PVV.

Teaching methods

The course alternates between lectures and exercises. Students are therefore regularly required to work on various documents during class sessions.

Evaluation methods

Oral exam on the course content

Other information

Learning outcomes:

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1. Understand political, cultural and societal realities of the Dutch-speaking world within their contemporary context and their mutual interactions 2. Understand contemporary realities of the Dutch-speaking world against their historical background 3. Understand the nuances and differences between societal developments in different regions of the Dutch-speaking world 4. Connect the analysis of the specific case studies of the course to other situations in- or outside of the present-day Dutch-speaking world, hence developing a critical attitude and transversal competences

Faculty or entity

> ELAL