A Cultural History of the Netherlands

Summer 2008: May 12 - May 30 (tentative dates)

Program Location

Amsterdam and Leiden are both vibrant cultural centers in the Netherlands with many museums, artistic attractions and historical sites. Amsterdam has a large multicultural population of 750,000, while Leiden has a population of about 115,000. Leiden, a lively and beautiful city, is the home of the oldest university in the Netherlands with over 20,000 students. JMU students will travel to other Dutch cities as well.

Academic Program

The Dutch have had world wide influence, including the early settlements in New York. The Netherlands is the home of such great artists as Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh as well as the philosophers Erasmus and Spinoza. The struggle for religious and political freedom and human rights has played an important role in Dutch history, and today the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court are located in the Hague, the center of Dutch government. 

By partaking in the daily activities and life of this vibrant country, students will develop a deep understanding and appreciation of a culture which has continued, despite its size, to play an important role in world affairs. It is also a country which has coped with important ecological challenges, especially the sea, and we will visit fishing villages and museums, which will inform students about  Dutch solutions to environmental and ecological  problems.

Prior to departure from the U.S., students will be required to read an assigned history of the Netherlands and to attend several classes on campus at JMU in which the cultural history of the Netherlands will be discussed and videos shown. While in the Netherlands, students will be expected  to keep a daily journal based on the lecture tours and visits, and to write a research paper on one aspect of Dutch artistic, political, economic or social life.

Students will also visit the numerous museums and historical and contemporary sites, take a boat ride on the canals, go to the flower market and botanical gardens, and attend dance and music performances in the evenings. On alternate days, they will take day trips to the following cities: Haarlem, The Hague, Leiden, Groningen, and Volendam, where they will go on guided walking tours and visit prominent sites of interest.

Instructional methods include lectures, guided tours, journal assignment and/or papers, and exams.

Tentative course offerings:
GHUM 251 Modern Perspectives: A Cultural History of the Netherlands, 3 credits
HIST 391 Travel Studies Seminar, 3 credits
ARTH 320 Travel Study in Art History, 3 credits

Accommodations

Students will reside in hotels in Amsterdam and Leiden. Breakfasts and some group meals will be provided.

Program Costs

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

In addition to the Short-term Application, interested students should submit an essay and a faculty recommendation. A personal interview will also be required. Applicants must have a minimum 2.5 gpa.

For more information

For more information on the Cultural History of the Netherlands program, please contact the Program Director:

Dr. Mary Louise Loe
Professor of History
Office: Jackson 224
Tel: 568 6168
Email: loeml@jmu.edu