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
Unlike most city histories, this book focuses exclusively on the city’s connections with colonialism and slavery. Rotterdam, the second-largest Dutch city, is one of Europe’s leading ports. Its... Show moreUnlike most city histories, this book focuses exclusively on the city’s connections with colonialism and slavery. Rotterdam, the second-largest Dutch city, is one of Europe’s leading ports. Its maritime expansion was intrinsically linked to Dutch colonialism, including slave trading and colonial slavery in the Americas, Africa and Asia. This painful history sits uneasily with the city’s modern cosmopolitan image and its large population of ‘new Rotterdammers’ with colonial roots. The present volume provides a summary of the research that has documented this history, with chapters on the contribution of colonial trade to economic development; the city’s involvement in slavery; the role of the urban political elites; the impact on urban development and architecture; the ‘ethical impulse’; colonial art and ethnographic collections; colonial and postcolonial migration; and finally the resonance of this history in postcolonial Rotterdam. Show less