Next semester courses

I. Dutch Language Courses:

DUTCH 1 – Elementary Dutch

Prerequisites: None

In this beginner’s course, students will familiarize themselves with the basics of Dutch: its sounds and spelling, its grammatical structure, and its vocabulary. The class focuses on oral communication with an emphasis on vocabulary: learning words and learning how to use these words. By reading texts and dialogues (and listening to the audio version), students will build their vocabulary. In class they will get the opportunity to practice their newly learned words and phrases. By the end of the semester, students will be able to express themselves in speaking and in writing about a variety of topics, including introducing yourself, time, living, studying, traveling, and talking about present and past situations.

Esmée van der Hoeven, M-W 12-2P + F 12-1P, 5 units.

DUTCH 100 - Dutch for Reading Knowledge

Prerequisites: None

This is a course designed for students, primarily graduate students, who want to be able to read Dutch for research purposes. The course is taught in English and targeted at students who have no knowledge of Dutch, however, students who wish to solidify their knowledge of Dutch grammar and their Dutch reading skills are welcome to participate. By focusing on reading strategies and analyzing texts on sentence and word level, students will develop their reading and translation skills in Dutch. A lot of attention is paid to grammar, syntax and basic Dutch vocabulary. This course works with authentic texts (book reviews, newspaper articles, scholarly pieces). Students are welcome to bring in texts or topics for texts in their own field of study.

Esmée van der Hoeven, M-W-F 3-4P, 3 units.

DUTCH 110 - Advanced Dutch

Prerequisites: Dutch 2 or equivalent

In this advanced Dutch language course, students will continue to build their vocabulary based on texts dealing with a variety of topics: the history, culture and society of Belgium and the Netherlands, current affairs and discussions, and literature and art. Class revolves around the reading and discussions of texts, and (newly) featured grammar will be discussed along the way. A lot of attention is paid to speaking skills and presentation skills. By the end of the semester, students will have developed their fluency in Dutch to the level of an advanced speaker. The course is open for students who successfully completed Dutch 1 and 2 (or have an equivalent level).  

Esmée van der Hoeven, M-W-F 2-3P, 4 units.

II. Courses in Dutch History, Culture, Linguistics and Literature: (in English)

DUTCH 171 A/C – From New Amsterdam to New York: Race, Culture and Identity in New Netherland

This course deals with the early Dutch history of New York, the former New Amsterdam. Traditionally it has been argued that modern American history has English roots onto which, over time, cultures from many other nations were grafted to create a multicultural society that became a multiethnic model for progressive societies all over the world. This course will question this perspective and argue that the contemporary multicultural and liberal model is by no means a deviation from an “originally Christian, Puritan America” but rather the realization of a type of society similar to the one that already existed in the Dutch settlement on Manhattan, and which was later to become New York. We will argue that there are good reasons to justify that the multicultural, liberal, tolerant, multi-lingual United States of today are not a deviation from how America used to be, but rather the realization of a type of society that was initiated in 17^th-century New Netherland. We will complement this vision, however, with indigenous and African-American voices in and about New Netherland. We will pay attention to the connection between the Dutch settlement on the American East Coast and the Dutch strongholds in the Caribbean that were developing into major centers of slave trade. In the final part of this course, we will draw conclusions from our study of the subaltern voice of the Other (the indigenous, the African American) in order to critically analyze the major faults of the Dutch colonial society in New Netherland. These conclusions will enable us to discuss the apparent contradiction between the liberal, tolerant, multicultural society that grew under Dutch role on the American East Coast and the existence of slavery as well as the military campaigns against the indigenous population. Prerequisites: none, all readings and discussion in English. Dutch 171 satisfy the American Cultures Requirement.

Jeroen Dewulf, schedule TBA, 4 units.