On Thursday, 27 January 2011 at 11.00, Bernard Bouwman, Journalist-in-Residence 2010/11, will hold a seminar in NIAS’s Lecture Room about the changing climate of tolerance in the Netherlands. To give a good representation, Bouwman has invited experts from various fields to give their views of the current situation, as seen from the standpoint of their expertise.
Few countries have changed as much over the last decades as the Netherlands. At one time many Dutch people took pride in being the most liberal country in the world, open to other cultures and religions. But over the last 10 years or so an increasing segment of Dutch society is expressing a profound unease, notably with Islam. A good example of this new trend is the success of Geert Wilders’ PVV Party.
The current situation in the Netherlands will be discussed in this seminar. Marleen Foets, fellow at NIAS, will give a short introduction highlighting the diversity of migrant communities in the Netherlands. Inter-cultural psychologist Ine Vink will then explain the problems that these migrant communities face and how the communities are evolving. Political scientist Meindert Fennema will analyse the rise to fame of Geert Wilders.