Dutch Culture Research Articles

Sing after God a New Song. Ritual-musical Appropriations of Psalms in Contemporary Dutch and Flemish culture

Summary of PhD Thesis. This thesis was defended on November 28, 2024 at the Protestant Theological University (Utrecht, the Netherlands). Supervisors: prof. dr. Marcel Barnard (Protestant Theological University) and prof. dr. Mirella Klomp (Protestant Theological University). This research was funded by the Stichting Luthers Diakonessenhuis Fonds.

Acculturation and self-management abilities of well-being among older Moroccans in the Netherlands

Abstract Background Migration involves a variety of stressors. Their accumulation over time may negatively impact migrants’ well-being. The extent that older migrants can integrate into a host society may determine their readiness to adopt behaviors such as self-management of well-being. Research regarding this relation among older Moroccans, one of the largest migrant groups in the Netherlands, has not been examined. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between acculturation and self-management abilities of well-being among older Moroccans and to examine differences in subgroups. Methods This cross-sectional study included 290 older Moroccans (≥ 65) living in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Linear regression was applied to explore associations between acculturation (attachment to Moroccan and Dutch cultures) and self-management abilities of well-being. Independent samples t-tests were used to test differences between subgroups. Results Older Moroccans who received low education were found to be less attached to the Dutch culture [3.24 (0.72) vs. 3.54 (0.73); p = 0.016]. They were also poorer self-managers of their well-being [2.60 (0.59) vs. 2.86 (0.58); p = 0.012], along with those with multi-morbidity [2.55 (0.60) vs. 2.77 (0.54); p = 0.006] and those lacking comprehension of Dutch [2.46 (0.56) vs. 2.69 (0.59); p = 0.011]. Self-management abilities of well-being had a negative association with multi-morbidity (β = −0.18, p = 0.007) and lack of Dutch comprehension (β = −0.16, p = 0.031), and a positive association with attachment to Moroccan (β = 0.17, p = 0.012) and Dutch (β = 0.18, p = 0.010) cultures. Conclusions Findings indicate that attachment to Moroccan and Dutch cultures is beneficial for older Moroccans’ self-management of well-being. Efforts need to support older migrants’ integration for them to adequately function and feel at home. Interventions promoting integration and self-management need to consider the characteristics of older migrant populations Key messages • Attachment to origin and host cultures benefits older migrants’ self-management of well-being. The cultural context of older migrants needs to be considered when promoting values of self-management. • Differences in acculturation and self-management of well-being existed between older migrant subgroups. Interventions promoting these values should account for the diversity that exists among migrants.

When Psalms Talk Back: How the Appropriation History of Psalms Challenges Contemporary Ritual-Musical Appropriations

This article discusses how, in contemporary Dutch and Flemish culture, the ritual-musical appropriations of Psalms in extra-ecclesial settings are challenged by the longer history of appropriating Psalms. Analyses of qualitative empirical research show that this history appears to challenge contemporary Psalm performances to address God, to perform Psalms collectively, and to contemplate life through these Psalms. Contemporary Psalm performances, thus, both continue the history of appropriating Psalms and are critiqued by this history. Evaluating the research results, we conclude that current appropriations tend to wipe away the Psalms’ ambiguity concerning images of God, the relationship between individual and community, and between hope and despair.

The Messenger: A Tale Retold (2008) by Kader Abdolah as a Polemic Biography of Prophet Muḥammad

ABSTRACT This article offers an analysis of the novel De boodschapper [‘The messenger’], a fictional biography of the prophet Muḥammad, by the Dutch author of Iranian origin, Kader Abdolah. The book, published in 2008 along with an adapted translation of the Quran, is a variation on the sīrah, a genre devoted to telling Muḥammad’s life story. Although Abdolah declares that his project aims at promoting mutual understanding between Dutch and Muslim culture underscoring his appreciation for the Prophet, his presentation of Muḥammad is not only secularized, but also strikingly negative. This article argues that the novel can in fact be regarded as an example of polemic biography, a type of Western anti-Islamic discourse, aimed at discrediting Muḥammad as a prophet. The major tropes of this literary tradition will be analysed here as used in Abdolah’s rendering of the Prophet’s life story.

A Conundrum of Makoti in the Light of Proverbs 31:10-31: Decolonising Mislaid ‘African Patriarchy’

The ideal wife, according to Proverb 31, is far more indispensable in any given society and plays a far less walk-over role in her marriage. Conversely, the highly recognised African term makoti, which originates from abroad (Dutch culture), reduces a newlywed to slave status, at least when understood from its linguistic context. This is because, according to the literature that is currently available, the term makoti originates from either the “Dutch/Afrikaans” phrase Maak ons tee, which roughly translates to “make us tea.” Consequently, when considered in light of Proverb 31 woman, the term makoti, as used in most African cultures, becomes problematic. This paper aimed to refute colonialist notions of African makoti by first describing the African daughter-in-law or recently married woman in the context of Proverb 31. Methodologically, through the employment of the decolonial theory and literature review, it confirmed that the esteemed African term makoti originates in Dutch culture rather than the African patriarchal corpus. The primary finding of this study was that, contrary to the stereotype of makoti that has been fortified by colonial context, the real African daughter-in-law is more akin to a Proverb 31 woman. The study concluded that correcting falsehoods like these contributes to the restoration of African culture’s dignity and the veracity of African history, while also challenging the continued colonial narratives that marginalize African women. This study enhances and contributes towards the decolonial agenda by dispelling stereotypes that misplace makoti as an invention of African culture. Keywords: Colonisation, Decoloniality, Religion, Culture, Patriarchy, African Makoti

The ubiquity of Royal Dutch Shell in the Netherlands as a case of banal petroculture

In 1995 Michael Billig introduced the term ‘banal nationalism’ to refer to those representations and reproductions of the nation which are as ubiquitous as they tend to go unnoticed. I try to link this concept to ‘petroculture’ since that notion too refers to practices that are so pervasive in modern societies that we tend to over-look them. Case in point is Royal Dutch Shell, in the Netherlands often and tellingly abbreviated to ‘de Koninklijke’ (the Royal one). By making explicit what most readers and citizens overlook because Shell seems as ‘natural’ in Dutch culture as tulips, bicycles and windmills, this contribution tries to make clear how the everyday aspects of Dutch petroculture in tourism, literature, and advertising are linked with the elite practices of managers and politicians.

Spinoza and Enlightened Pleasures

Spinoza recognizes that worldly pleasures are not contrary to the life of the philosophical sage, but such pursuits must be carefully directed. He distinguishes between a joy that affects only some parts of the body (titillatio) and joy that extends through the body as a whole (hilaritas or “cheerfulness”). Titillation can be excessive, since it can blind us to our other needs. But cheerfulness cannot be excessive, since the whole body is improved at once. In his account of cheerfulness, Spinoza can be understood to be describing the life of a liefhebber, which is the Dutch term for a connoisseur, or an enlightened and discriminating consumer of worldly pleasures. It is a strikingly appropriate discussion given his own historical context, in which the Dutch culture found itself suddenly in possession of delights from around the world. This paper will explore Spinoza’s account of pleasure and cheerfulness in its context, with reference to other authors who were wrestling with the problem of finding the appropriate place for worldly pleasures in a culture of broadly Calvinist sympathies.

The Development Of Indonesian Islamic Civilization During The Dutch Occupation

This study aims to analyze the development of Indonesian Islamic civilization during the Dutch colonial period. To achieve this goal, the authors use the literary method with a qualitative approach, namely by collecting data and information by examining various sources in the form of books or scientific papers that are relevant to the object of research. With this research shows that 1). The socio-cultural conditions during the Dutch period underwent changes which can be seen by the existence of social discrimination and the presence of Dutch culture that entered Indonesia. 2). The system of government that prevailed in Indonesia during the Dutch colonial period. 3). Da'wah strategy carried out by the scholars during the Dutch colonial period. 4). Challenges faced by Indonesia during the Dutch colonial period. 5). An influential figure during the Dutch colonial period. This study is important to do in order to add to the study of the history of Islamic civilization in Indonesia, especially the scarcity of themes that discuss Islamic civilization during the Dutch colonial period.

Blending Soviet and Dutch Culture: Communist Family Life in the Netherlands 1945–1965

Abstract This article examines the postwar cultural sphere of the Dutch communist movement. Drawing on a series of interviews with 27 Dutch cradle communists born between 1935 and 1955, communist archives, and a wide range of other sources, it explores respondents’ cultural upbringing and family leisure time in the period 1945–1965. It challenges the notion that Dutch communists all lived in a closed sectarian milieu or ideological bubble and instead argues that Dutch communists had a close yet complex relationship with the ‘bourgeois’ (non-communist) world.

Differences in walking and cycling between professional immigrants and comparable ethnic Dutch: A quantitative analysis from the Netherlands

Active travel (e.g. walking and cycling) is encouraged in the Netherlands for the many environmental and health benefits it offers, and, as a result, the country has among the highest rates of cycling in the world. This is at least partially attributed to investments in cycle infrastructure. Yet few other countries have followed the Netherlands lead and invested similarly, and arguments are made that the Dutch life experience and culture are also important in encouraging walking and cycling. To examine the influence mobility culture on active travel behaviour, this study assesses similarities and differences in walking and cycling between a sample of professional immigrants living in the Netherlands’ Randstad region and a socio-demographically comparable sample born and raised in the Netherlands. The study found both similarities and differences in walking and cycling between professional immigrants and ethnic Dutch, with the immigrants actually walking and cycling more than the ethnic Dutch. In order to identify factors that influenced preferences to and levels of walking and cycling, a multiple linear regression analysis of dichotomous and ordinal variables based on their polychoric correlations was applied. Findings show that socio-demographic characteristics, car and bicycle access and trip purpose have a significant effect on the active travel behaviour of the two population groups. In addition, findings demonstrate that car access and use is associated with reduced active travel mode use. However, the reasons and causes of the differences in walking and cycling behaviour between immigrants and ethnic Dutch need further research.

Proposed Marketing Mix Strategy for Indonesian Restaurant in The Netherlands (Case Study: Pasundan)

Indonesian and Asian culture has had a profound influence on Dutch culture and society due to colonialization. Food is one area where this cultural mix has had a significant impact. Many parts of Indonesian cuisine were adopted and became popular dishes in the Netherlands until now. However, vast number of Indonesian food enthusiasts cannot considerably enhance sales of Pasundan, an Indonesian restaurant in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Based on analysis of the root cause it was found that some elements from 7P marketing mix, namely Price, Place, Promotion, and Process were the problematic ones. This study aims to generate findings to propose new marketing mix for Pasundan. In order to propose new marketing mix external and internal analysis is performed to gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of company difficulties. External analysis focuses on PESTEL, competitor analysis, and online consumer analysis. Marketing Mix (7P) and Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning (STP) are included in the internal study. The proposed strategies are put together into a new marketing mix plan that is expected to provide a solution to the existing business problem and can be implemented by Pasundan.

The Representation of Culture in “Bumi Manusia” Novel by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

Critical discourse analysis is a view of language in discourse analysis that views powers as always involved in forming subjects represented in language. The AWK model used in this paper is Norman Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis. Critical discourse analysis, which generally analyzes media texts, can also be used to analyze literary works, including novels. The novel analyzed by Norman Fairclough’s discourse analysis is the novel Bumi Manusia by Manusiaya Ananta Toer. Norman Fairclough’s discourse analysis examines text, discourse practice, and sociocultural practice. The three aspects of Norman Fairclough’s discourse analysis can be answered through the descriptive method text section the researcher can find three basic elements in the Norman Fairclough model, namely elements of representation, relations, and identity in the novel Bumi Manusia. Meanwhile, this paper will only discuss one element, namely representation. The result of this research is that culture is found in the text of the novel Bumi Manusia, in the form of daily behavior, language, clothes, to the names that appear in the text of the novel. In the text of the Bumi Manusia novel, there are also several cultures, not only Indonesian culture but, there is also Dutch culture by the contents of the story or synopsis of the novel describes indigenous life side by side with the Dutch.

Kebudayaan Indis: Hasil Akulturasi Budaya antara Jawa dengan Kolonial Belanda

Indische culture is a culture that results from a combination of European (Dutch) culture and local (Javanese) culture. Starting from the arrival of the Dutch to Indonesia which resulted in a cultural contact. Caused by this cultural contact, then led to acculturation between Dutch culture and local culture resulting in a new culture called Indische culture. This article was written with the aim of finding out about how Indische culture can enter and develop in Indonesia. The method used is literature study, namely by collecting historical sources and data consisting of archives, documents, books, journals, newspapers and magazines.

Unsur Kebudayaan Jawa – Belanda dalam Novel Student Hidjo Karya Mas Marco Kartodikromo (Kajian Antropologi Sastra)

This research is entitled Elements of Javanese – Dutch Culture in Mas Marco Kartodikromo's Student Hidjo Novel (Literary Anthropological Studies). This study aims to describe elements of Javanese culture and elements of Dutch culture contained in the novel Student Hidjo by Mas Marco Kartodikromo. The source of data is the novel Student Hidjo by Mas Marco Kartodikromo. The approach used is the approach of literary anthropology. The method used in this study is a qualitative descriptive method. The data collection techniques used are reading, recording, and literature studies. From the results, the elements of Javanese cultural and Dutch cultural exist in this novel. In terms of data that indicating elements of Javanese culture in Student Hidjo Novel, 7 data were found related to living equipment and technology, 8 data related to livelihoods, 14 data related to the societal system, 20 data related to cultural elements related to language, 4 data related to the arts, 3 data relating to knowledge systems, 5 data related to religion. Meanwhile, elements of Dutch culture in Student Hidjo novels related to living equipment and technology were found 2 data, 6 data related to livelihoods, 2 data related to the societal system, 50 data related to language, 2 data related to art, 3 data related to the knowledge system, while no data was found related to religion. Of the seven cultural elements, all proves the difference between Javanese culture and Dutch culture in the novel Student Hidjo.

AKULTURASI BUDAYA ETNIS BELANDA DALAM MAKANAN NUSANTARA PERKEDEL

Indonesia as a society is known for its cultural diversity such as traditional practices and customs. Some of them are historically influenced by colonialism. Just like Indonesia, which experienced a long colonial period under Dutch rule and left a big influence on aspects of people's lives and culinary delights in Indonesia. One of the Indonesian foods that were influenced by Dutch culture is Frikadeller. Frikadeller in Indonesia means "cakes" or fried potatoes and is usually bought and sold by fried traders or served as a complement to other foods. This study aims to analyze the influence of Dutch culture on Indonesian Frikadeller cuisine. Method: This research method is qualitative with data collection using literature studies and interviews regarding the history of Indo-Dutch food culture. Result: As a result of colonization, many Dutch tribes set foot in Indonesia, and the Dutch introduced cakes during their colonial period. Perkedel comes from the Dutch language, namely frikadeller, but the tongue of Indonesian people cannot pronounce the letter “f” so it becomes the letter “p”, and because the meat is expensive, until now perkedel is only made from potatoes. That's what makes frikadeller a potato-based cake.

AKULTURASI BUDAYA ETNIS BELANDA DALAM MAKANAN NUSANTARA PERKEDEL

Indonesia as a society is known for its cultural diversity such as traditional practices and customs. Some of them are historically influenced by colonialism. Just like Indonesia, which experienced a long colonial period under Dutch rule and left a big influence on aspects of people's lives and culinary delights in Indonesia. One of the Indonesian foods that were influenced by Dutch culture is Frikadeller. Frikadeller in Indonesia means "cakes" or fried potatoes and is usually bought and sold by fried traders or served as a complement to other foods. This study aims to analyze the influence of Dutch culture on Indonesian Frikadeller cuisine. Method: This research method is qualitative with data collection using literature studies and interviews regarding the history of Indo-Dutch food culture. Result: As a result of colonization, many Dutch tribes set foot in Indonesia, and the Dutch introduced cakes during their colonial period. Perkedel comes from the Dutch language, namely frikadeller, but the tongue of Indonesian people cannot pronounce the letter “f” so it becomes the letter “p”, and because the meat is expensive, until now perkedel is only made from potatoes. That's what makes frikadeller a potato-based cake.

Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Pilot Testing of the Young Children’s Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) in the Dutch Culture

ABSTRACT Concepts such as participation and environment may differ across cultures. Consequently, to use a measure like the Young Children’s Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) in other than the original English-speaking contexts, cultural adaptation needs to be assured. The objective is to cross-culturally translate, adapt, and pilot test the YC-PEM into the Dutch language and culture. In total 3 cognitive interviews with caregivers and one focus group with Occupational Therapists (N = 5) working in early intervention were conducted to evaluate the cultural relevance of the YC-PEM content for use in a Dutch context. Data was analyzed by content analysis using semantic, idiomatic, content, and conceptual equivalence. The YC-PEM was pilot tested with 31 caregivers of children with and without disabilities. Setting specific estimates of internal consistency and test–retest reliability were obtained. Results show adaptations mainly focused on content and conceptual equivalence, with conceptual equivalence being the most challenging to reach. Internal consistency estimates varied from .42 to .93 for the participation scales and from .74 to .83 for the environmental scale. This study gives preliminary evidence for the use of a culturally adapted YC-PEM in Belgium and the Netherlands. Further validation in a larger sample is indicated to evaluate its psychometric properties.

Dutch and Flemish language, culture, and identity in North America

Modeled after Moquin and Wolf’s (2020) survey on North American Icelandic, this study adds to a growing body of work examining the relationship between language use and cultural identity in postvernacular communities (e.g., Moquin & Wolf 2020, Brown & Hietpas 2019). Through 635 responses to an online survey collected as of February 2022, we present initial quantitative and qualitative findings on the relationship between language and culture among Dutch/Flemish immigrants to North America and their descendants. Our results show that strong Dutch cultural identification among a portion of this group does not necessarily correlate with Dutch language proficiency, especially after the first and second generation. The study further finds that respondents find the maintenance of Dutch language and culture only moderately important, although with slightly higher scores for culture and traditions shown in responses referencing Dutch holiday traditions and foods. These views, which come from arguably some of the most engaged members of these communities as respondents to this optional survey, bear important consequences for the future of Dutch in North America. However, initial analysis suggests that Dutch hotspots, especially those which latch onto “Dutchness” for festivals and tourism purposes, experience more successful maintenance. While the number of responses collected here helps to expand our understanding of the roles of language and cultural identity in heritage communities, future research into these “hotspots” and contrasting them with isolated responses will provide further insight into how the community itself shapes these identities.

‘Goed voor alle gebreecken’

When Chinese tea was first introduced in Europe in the seventeenth century, it quickly became popular both as a hot drink and as medicine. In the Netherlands, the interest in Chinese goods and tea in particular reached its apogee in the last decades of the century. Such products were avidly consumed, but they were also discussed in numerous book publications. These publications largely focused on how tea could have a beneficial effect on health and wellbeing. However, tea consumption was also mocked in satirical culture. Even before tea truly became a mass-consumer good, the anonymous publishers of the Oost-Indische thee post (1687) and the Darmstadse thee courant (1687) took up the growing tea mania for their satirical genre parody. They confirmed tea’s continued association with health and medicine, but also testified to the first stirrings of debates on the participation of women and the ‘lower classes’ in the tea ritual. This article looks at the complex ways in which tea was represented in Dutch culture at the turn of the eighteenth century.

Een taalkundige lezing van de handreiking Waarden voor een nieuwe taal

The guide Waarden voor een nieuwe taal presents recommendations, suggestions, guidelines and examples that should result in a widely supported use of inclusive language by all possible actors within the Dutch arts and culture sector. In this article, Sofie Decock and Sarah Van Hoof frame and comment on the guide based on their expertise as linguists.