Politics of The Hague: Between Ideals and Practice

Course goals

By the end of the course the students:

• will have acquired advanced knowledge of the origins, development and effects of institutions regarding a specific historical topic;
• will have developed the necessary analytical skills for examining the origins, development and effects of these institutions and for applying apposite theories, concepts and methods.

 

Content

Why does politics and policy [?] often seem so far removed from political ideals, or the wishes of the population? This course partners with practitioners in The Hague to answer this question from multiple perspectives. Together with them we look into the recent history of Dutch politics and policy, what has changed, and what might need to be changed. This will be done through looking at specific dossiers that we as teachers and students determine with our partners. Possible examples include tax policy, poverty and problematic debts, health and welfare policies or how to strengthen democracy. The course will include Dutch and English sections.

Job Market Orientation

The course reflects contemporary questions regarding democracy, policy and political decision making and applies them to the Dutch case, thus making a connection between historical and contemporary developments and offering preparation for the future job market. We are also going to explore how history students can find a career path in the field of politics, in administration and other related fields.

 

Additional information

Please note:
This course is for students of the MA History of Politics and Society only. Students from other programmes should contact the programme coordinator to discuss participation.