Courses

Coördinator: S. Gins, MA

Dit vak is voornamelijk gericht op uitwisselingsstudenten die in het buitenland Nederlands studeren (BA of MA) en internationale studenten die het Nederlands voldoende beheersen (bij voorkeur niveau B2).

De 'Nederlandse identiteit' blijft een onderwerp van discussie en controverse. Wat maakt iets 'typisch Nederlands' en zijn deze eigenschappen daadwerkelijk zo uitzonderlijk? In dit vak verkennen we een breed scala aan facetten van de Nederlandse cultuur en maatschappij aan de hand van interactieve gastcolleges. Hierin leggen we verbanden tussen het lokale (de noordelijke regio), het nationale (Nederland), en het internationale (Europa, de wereld). We zullen tevens op excursie gaan naar een museum in Groningen.

Het vak kan gecombineerd worden met Cultuur en Vertalen (LTX055B05), waarin je samen met studenten Vertaalwetenschap via concrete opdrachten de colleges vanuit een contrastief perspectief leert te beschouwen. Zodoende ontwikkel je schrijfvaardigheid en interculturele competentie. Meer informatie

Coordinator: S. Gins, MA

Although the lecture series on Dutch Culture and Society is primarily meant for international and exchange students of the University of Groningen, other interested listeners (e.g. visiting faculty and employees of international business companies) are also welcome to attend.

Each lecture focuses on a particular aspect of Dutch history, politics, culture and arts. Topics vary every year and have previously included: Dutch language; performing arts; architectural history; 16th and 17th-century paintings; political culture; socio-economic history. More information

Coordinator: Dr. H. Zwarts

This course deals with the history of the Netherlands from the end of the Middle Ages to the second half of the twentieth century from an international and national perspective. Developments in social structure, economics and economic and social policy will be emphasized. In the lectures, we will focus on typical elements of Dutch society in different periods, among which: the Golden Age, international trade, late industrialization, the strong position of agro-industry and colonial industry, pillarization and rural developments. We will also consider the Dutch colonial empire in the Caribbean and Asia. More information

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. T. Meder

Folktales are supposed to be very old tales transmitted through oral tradition. During the transmission the stories tend to vary; the tales get adjusted to time, place, narrator, audience, as well as the political and social situation. In many respects, studying folktales like fairy tales, legends, jokes, riddles etc. can tell us a lot about folk life, folk fantasy, their fears and dreams, folk belief and mentality. Throughout history folktales are the barometers of moods in society. However, oral tradition appears to be influenced by written tradition as well. Written tradition allowed us to remember a lot of folktales, so we could keep retelling them. This course is about everything you want to know about folktales: how old are they? Where do they come from? What do they mean? How and why do they change? And how do they need to be interpreted? The focus will be on the Netherlands, but in an international context. Final essays of sufficient quality may be considered for publication. More information

Lecturer: Dr. M.R. Doortmont

This course introduces you to the historical and political development of the international system of development cooperation as it evolved from 1945 onwards, taking Dutch policy development and execution and Dutch perspectives as a starting point. We will discuss the “aid or trade” dilemma that was (and to a point still is) central to Dutch development policy and how this translates into international relations and policies. We will also discuss how the epistemology of the concepts of development and international development relations changed over time and what this means for our current understanding. Special attention will be given to debates on the post-colony, the continent of Africa, and the role of international organizations. More information

Coordinator: C.E. Fuller, MA

Through instructions, assignments, and feedback, we will work on your English proficiency. The course focusses on writing, reading, and speaking English in academic contexts. You will also work on other aspects which are often problematic for international students such as grammar, collocations, and vocabulary through guided self-study. Another important aspect is the development of academic skills, such as critical thinking, argumentation, source use and integration, and research. More information

Coördinator: Dr. S. van Voorst

Dit vak richt zich op de analyse en interpretatie van literaire teksten. Tijdens werkcolleges ontwikkel je vaardigheid in het analyseren en interpreteren van (fragmenten van) verhalen, gedichten en toneelteksten. Met het oog op de analyse maak je kennis met en oefen je in het gebruikmaken van een elementair begrippenapparaat, ontleend aan de moderne verhaal-, vertel- en lyriektheorie. Dit vak legt tevens de basis voor het vak Creatief Schrijven (LBU055B05) in semester 1B en Literaire Canon I (LBU056B05) in semester 2A. Meer informatie

Coördinator: Dr. F.L. Kramer

In dit vak bouw je een breed inzetbare schrijfvaardigheid op door oefening in een aantal literaire en non-fictiegenres zoals columns, korte essays, korte verhalen en gedichten. Door middel van lees- en schrijfoefeningen verhoog je je taal- en stijlbewustzijn, je verbeeldingskracht en je formuleervaardigheid. Je leert de technische begrippen uit de literaire tekstinterpretatie, stilistiek en andere tekstdomeinen productief toe te passen in eigen teksten. Tijdens de werkcolleges oefen je in het verantwoorden van je eigen compositie- en formuleerkeuzes en in het verwoorden van observaties aan teksten van anderen, zodat je gerichte feedback kunt geven en onderbouwde redactionele adviezen kunt geven. Meer informatie

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. B.A.M. Ramakers

Deze tutorial is gericht op uitwisselingsstudenten die in het buitenland Nederlands studeren (BA of MA) en internationale studenten die het Nederlands voldoende beheersen (bij voorkeur niveau B2). Via deze tutorial kan je, in overleg met de docent, een plan opstellen om te werken aan een onderwerp naar keuze dat betrekking heeft op Nederlandse literatuur, cultuur en maatschappij. Meer informatie

Coordinator: S. Gins, MA

Although the lecture series on Dutch Culture and Society is primarily meant for international and exchange students of the University of Groningen, other interested listeners (e.g. visiting faculty and employees of international business companies) are also welcome to attend.

Each lecture focuses on a particular aspect of Dutch history, politics, culture and arts. Topics vary every year and have previously included: Dutch film; archaeology; politics; art; military history; law; music.

It is possible to attend both the series in the 1st and 2nd semester independently as the contents of the lectures will be different. More information

Lecturer: Dr. M. Zwiers

How does race function in Dutch culture? In this class we will explore the history and current status of race relations in the Netherlands, with a focus on the contemporary period. The concept of "white innocence" will be central to the course; it will help us understand why Dutch society has so much trouble facing up to its complicated colonial past and the legacies of this past.

Lecturer: Dr. D.T. Broersma

In this course we will learn about Dutch political history in general, including the pecularities of the Dutch political party system ('pillarization'),the origins and nature of political parties, the history and impact of the Second World War and the onset of multicultural society.

There will be a field trip to transit concentration camp Westerbork, from where over 100,000 Dutch Jews were deported to death camps in Poland. More information

Lecturer: Dr. B. Hollebrandse

This course surveys the origin and history of the Dutch language, the differences and similarities between English, German, Frisian and Dutch. We will discuss phonetics, morphology and syntax of Dutch; the Dutch language in the Netherlands and Flanders; the Frisian language; Afrikaans as a sister language.

We will also make an excursion to the Fryske Akademie in Leeuwarden. More information

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. B.A.M. Ramakers

This course presents an overview of five ‘typical Dutch’ cultural characteristics. The Dutch are, according to Van der Horst, egalitarian, utilitarian, organized, trade-oriented and privacy-minded people. During the first part of the course, we will discuss these phenomena and add some aspects: especially the effect of World War II and more recent developments (political and legal, like euthanasia). In the second part of the course, you will learn basic interviewing techniques, needed to conduct interviews with Dutch respondents. Then, you will interview your fellow studentsto reflect upon the way you ask questions to find out about someone’s culture. You will analyse the interview transcripts, present your conclusions in a group research report and we will conclude the course with a group discussion about what you have learned in this course. More information

Lecturer: Dr. J.E. Weijermars

This literature course introduces students to Dutch literature from the 19th and 20th century. The course offers a survey of the highlights of Dutch nineteenth and twentieth century literature in relationship to the society and (cultural) history of the Low Countries. You will learn to analyse the relationship between text and context, practise a cultural historical approach of literature and discuss the use of literature as a historical source. You will also learn to analyse and study the mechanisms of canonization and (literary) history writing. Primary texts include Multatuli’s Max Havelaar, Couperus' The Hidden Force and Two Women by Harry Mulisch. More information

Coordinator: Jesús Rodríguez Viejo

This course offers an overview of art, architectural, and urban history in the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to the turn of the twenty-first century. You will acquire solid historical knowledge and critical analytical skills regarding heritage in the Netherlands and you will reflect upon Dutch colonialism and slavery. In addition, you will learn to situate Dutch architecture in modern architectural history and urban planning, responding to the importance and worldwide prestige of the contemporary Netherlands in those fields.

To conclude the course, you will give an individual presentation about a case study and work on a group podcast – both assignments aimed at developing your specialist public speaking and media content creation skills. More information

Coordinator: C.E. Fuller, MA

Through instructions, assignments, and feedback, we will work on your English proficiency. The course focusses on writing, reading, and speaking English in academic contexts. You will also work on other aspects which are often problematic for international students such as grammar, collocations, and vocabulary through guided self-study. Another important aspect is the development of academic skills, such as critical thinking, argumentation, source use and integration, and research. More information

Coördinator: Dr. J.E. Weijermars

In dit vak ga je aan de slag met het analyseren en interpreteren van literaire teksten vanaf 1600 tot heden, met de nadruk op gecanoniseerde werken. De vaardigheid in het analyseren en interpreteren wordt verdiept aan de hand van verhalen (epiek) en poëzie (lyriek) alsook toneelteksten (dramatiek). Via hoorcolleges krijg je tevens de nodige theoretische toelichting en literair-historische achtergrond van de canon. Op het einde van de cursus presenteer je een eigen analyse en interpretatie van een literaire tekst. Meer informatie

Docent: Prof. M.P.J. Sanders

In dit vak verwerf en ontwikkel je kennis, vaardigheden en inzicht op het gebied van de Nederlandse letterkunde van de 20e en vroege 21ste eeuw. We gaan tijdens de hoor- en werkcolleges in op hoofdproblemen (literatuur en context, stromingen, bewegingen, generaties, periodecodes), genres, poëticale tradities, literatuurgeschiedschrijving (inclusief methoden), tekstgenese en editie, literatuur en ideologie, literatuur en andere kunsten, en leesvaardigheid (het analyserend en problematiserend lezen van enkele canonieke teksten uit de 20ste en vroeg 21ste-eeuwse letterkunde, training in het lezen van vakliteratuur). Daarnaast bestudeer je zelfstandig een leeslijst met primaire en secundaire literatuur. Meer informatie