Culture & society : transhistorical approaches

Teacher(s)

Smeyers Elies;

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 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 that deal with the various topics of the course.

Teaching methods

Powerpoint presentations + press/academic articles + (extracts from) primary/secondary textual/audio(visual) sources. All the course material or the references to the material will be uploaded on Moodle.
Formal lectures, guest lectures by specialists in historical/cultural/literary studies of the low countries (if possible in terms of their availability), presentations by the students with time for Q&A discussions, personal reading and research (as preparation for the students’ presentation and discussions in class).
Cultural field trip (mandatory) to Flanders or The Netherlands

Depending on academic and/or cultural events organized during the academic year that align with the course theme: (mandatory) participation in a conference.

Evaluation methods

Part 1: 50% of the total note: continuous assessment: presentation (in groups), during the course, of a contemporary cultural/societal phenomenon in the Dutch-speaking world (the exact modalities + dates of the presentation will be communicated during the first courses). 
Part 2: 50% of the total note: Oral exam (closed book) during the exam session in June related to the course content and critical discussion.
In order to be allowed to participate in the June session and the August/September session, the student must have given a presentation during the year (=continuous assessment).
Session of August/September: oral exam (closed book) during the session, in case an insufficient has been obtained in June for the total of part 1 (50%) + part 2 (50%).
If the student has succeeded the continuous evaluation, the note will be maintained and count for 50% of the end total.
If the student didn’t succeed part 1, nor part 2, or if the student only succeeded for the oral exam in June but not for the continuous assessment, the note obtained during the oral exam in August/September counts for 100%.
Participation in cultural/academic activities organised in the context of the course is MANDATORY! In case a student does not participate without a valid reason, it is not possible to participate in the exams and impossible to pass the course.
If a student has a valid reason not to participate in an activity, she/he will have to make an alternative assignment that the lecturer will give.

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