The miracle of the hbs is about the early history of the hogere burgerschool (Higher Civic School) or HBS, a now-defunct Dutch secondary school type that achieved great fame. The research focuses... Show moreThe miracle of the hbs is about the early history of the hogere burgerschool (Higher Civic School) or HBS, a now-defunct Dutch secondary school type that achieved great fame. The research focuses on the establishment and functioning of the HBS in twelve smaller municipalities with populations of less than 10,000 people in the outer provinces of the Netherlands. Initially, the HBS was not really a success – its profile was unclear, the results of its few students were disappointing, and the cost for national and local government high. Still, those first few schools survived. The aim of the study is to find explanations for this paradox.The research shows that the miracle of the HBS is due to a combination of factors: well-timed legislation; a well-drafted law; two strong inducements in the legislation, namely money and curricular freedom; great enthusiasm in the region, particularly outside the traditional centre of the country; a degree of invulnerability to criticism from the opposition; and, above all, the self-confident actions of erudite and well-paid teachers committed to the new school and prepared to devote themselves fully to designing and improving its curriculum without making any concessions to the quality of the education. Show less
A widespread debate in the Netherlands in the nineteenth century was that on the new Protestant theology which arose around 1840, called 'modern', 'modernist' or 'liberal'. In this discussion... Show moreA widespread debate in the Netherlands in the nineteenth century was that on the new Protestant theology which arose around 1840, called 'modern', 'modernist' or 'liberal'. In this discussion, involving many different parties, brochures (pamphlets) formed an important polemic tool.The focus in the dissertation is on two of those parties: the modern Protestants and the Roman Catholics, and on the external aspects of the discussions between them. What images did modern Protestants have of the Roman Catholics? And vice versa? What specific arguments were used? Can qualitative brochure research throw new light on traditional assumptions? These questions are investigated on the basis of a selection of some 540 contemporary titles from the brochure collection of the Leiden University Library that reflect this 'paper war'. This selection has the form of a reasoned catalogue, the Leidse Lijst, available online as part of the dissertation but also as a separate booklet.The main conclusion is that the brochures can be held largely responsible for the rapid spread of Protestant modernism between 1840 and 1870. Show less
This work presents a political biography of nineteenth century lawyer and statesman Dirk Donker Curtius. Donker advocated freedom of religion, speech and press through lawsuits, brochures and... Show moreThis work presents a political biography of nineteenth century lawyer and statesman Dirk Donker Curtius. Donker advocated freedom of religion, speech and press through lawsuits, brochures and articles and found himself at the centre of power amidst the 1848 political and societal developments. This dissertation reveals that Donker had a larger role than assumed in the Dutch liberal discourse in development of the liberal movement prior to 1848 and practical implementation of reformist ideas thereafter. Specifically, this study of Donker’s career argues that through his skilful and pragmatic service as Minister of Justice in the first years after the creation of the 1848 liberal constitution, he played a pivotal role in its consolidation and perpetuation. Show less
This dissertation focuses on the workings of popular national agency in late nineteenth-century Amsterdam and the question in what ways and to what extent ‘ordinary’ citizens constructed and... Show moreThis dissertation focuses on the workings of popular national agency in late nineteenth-century Amsterdam and the question in what ways and to what extent ‘ordinary’ citizens constructed and experienced ‘the Netherlands’ through their urban surroundings. It steers away from a top-down perspective and considers the lower and middle social classes as actual actors in the process of democratising the nation. The argument of the book is centred around five case studies: the popular experience of public monuments and statues; the singing of the national anthem; popular Orangism; the public response to the Boer Wars; and the commercialisation of the nation in an urban context. Show less
De negentiende eeuw was de eeuw van de vooruitgang. Vertegenwoordigers van het Nederlandse modernisme, een vrijzinnig-protestantse stroming, kozen ervoor het christelijk geloof aan de natuur- en... Show moreDe negentiende eeuw was de eeuw van de vooruitgang. Vertegenwoordigers van het Nederlandse modernisme, een vrijzinnig-protestantse stroming, kozen ervoor het christelijk geloof aan de natuur- en bijbelwetenschappelijke ontwikkelingen aan te passen. Ze vreesden dat het christendom anders voor veel mensen snel een gepasseerd station zou worden. God van vooruitgang laat zien hoe de modernen geloof en wetenschap met elkaar verenigden door bijvoorbeeld een __evolutietheologie__ te ontwerpen. Ook worden hun standpunten in maatschappelijke kwesties geanalyseerd. Daarbij staat het materiaal centraal dat zij voor een breed publiek gemaakt hebben, zoals romans, gedichten, prekenbundels en almanakken. Ook de problemen waarmee de modernen te kampen kregen worden besproken: de tegenstand van rechtzinnigen en vrijdenkers, het vertrek van vooraanstaande predikanten als Conrad Busken Huet en Allard Pierson en de praktische invulling van het moderne geloof. Show less
