Radboud Institute for Culture and History (RICH)

This paper proposes the hypothesis that, contrary to Peter Szondi and Philippe Lacoue- Labarthe, no clear distinction exists in Friedrich Hölderlins thinking about the Greek tragedy. The theoretical and interpretative frame of Hölderlins so-called Anmerkungen is a conceptual continuation of his work on the play Empedokles. If validated, the unison in Hölderlins thinking can  be pointed out which leads to the conclusion that the tragedy can only be understood through its fundamental paradox. This paradox is the innocent guilt that rests on or befalls the tragic person. It is possible that this conclusion is relevant for modern philosophical thought. Whereas some modern thinkers attempt to modernize the tragedy, Hölderlin tries to penetrate into the deepest cores of the tragic, hence human condition. If the fate of modern, western humanity is that of Oedipus, this character with excess knowledge, Hölderlins insights into the fundamental nature of the classical tragedy – as well as his attempts to restore its long-lost value – can help modern man deal with Moira. Fate inevitably rouses hybris, pride and submissiveness in order to leave man chastened by adversity.

Character assassination is a phenomenon that can be found in every historical epoch. Throughout the ages, numerous kings, queens, generals, clergymen, thinkers and rebels have suffered visual and verbal attacks which sought to undermine their prestige and cast them in a negative light. While this is currently done through tweets and campaign ads, in previous ages speeches, chronicles and pamphlets were the weapons of choice. Their effects were no less devastating. The reputation of notorious figures such as Emperor Caligula, the “Iron Duke” of Alba and the Dutch “King Gorilla” [William III] has been determined by character attacks to this day.

Henri van Nispen De poorten van de natuur Thales en Anaximander van Milete Dit artikel onderzoekt het revolutionaire karakter van de Ionische beweging, een groep denkers actief in het Ionië van de 6de eeuw v.Chr. Waar Thales van Milete de poorten van de natuur op een kier zette door de introductie van een uit observatie volgend verklarend oerbeginsel (water), was het Anaximander die ze wijd opengooide. 'Anaximander van Milete opende volgens de overlevering de poorten van de natuur' (rerum fores aperuisse, Anaximander Milesius traditur primus), aldus Plinius de Oudere (Naturalis Historia 2.6.31). Het bijzondere van Anaximander betreft de idee van een oerprincipe (het apeiron) als al-verklarende oorzaak, terwijl dat beginsel zelf onttrokken is aan menselijke waarneming. Anaximander legt zo de grondslag van wat later wetenschap wordt genoemd. Of in Ionië de Westerse filosofie is ontstaan, hangt af van de definitie die men aan filosofie wil geven. Wat in deze streek in ieder geval duidelijk voor het voetlicht werd gebracht, was het grondprincipe van zowel wetenschap als filosofie: speculatie.

Het eerder dit jaar verschenen rapport Art for Art's Sake, dat een indrukwekkende analyse bevat van het effectonderzoek naar cultuureducatie over de afgelopen halve eeuw, concludeert dat de belangrijkste uitdaging voor onderzoekers en docenten erin bestaat, een goed theoretisch fundament te leggen voor het onderwijs in kunst en cultuur. Alleen daarmee kan, zo stellen de auteurs, in de toekomst zichtbaar worden gemaakt wat de effecten van cultuureducatie zijn, zowel binnen het vak als op het leren en leven van leerlingen. (Winner, Goldstein & Vincent-Lancrin 2013: 259-261) Deze conclusie volgt op een overzicht van al met al vrij magere resultaten van het onderzoek naar de leereffecten van kunstonderwijs. Effecten van kunstonderwijs op andere leergebieden blijken maar zeer mondjesmaat te kunnen worden bewezen. Hoewel deze resultaten nopen tot een zekere bescheidenheid, lijkt het mij geen aanleiding tot grote treurnis.

Het waarderen en herwaarderen van figuren
uit het verleden is een belangrijke taak van de
historicus en de biograaf. Gijsbert Karel van
Hogendorp was een man die door zijn meest
memorabele daad – het naar de Nederlanden
laten terugkeren van een Oranjeprins in 1813 –
onvermijdelijk het voorwerp van controverse
zou worden. De waardering voor zijn persoon
en nalatenschap heeft altijd samengehangen
met politieke voorkeuren en affiliaties. Het is
daarom niet verrassend dat Diederick Slijkerman
zijn levensbeschrijving van deze, naar de
ondertitel van het boek, ‘wegbereider van Nederland’
begint met een positiebepaling.

‘Jeder Unterrichtsstunde liegt irgendeine “Theorie” zugrunde’, onder iedere les ligt een theorie, schrijft Klaus-Peter Busse in zijn handboek vakdidactiek beeldende kunst, Bildumgangsspiele (2004: 57). Die uitspraak toont een belangrijk verschil tussen de Nederlandse en Duitse benadering van het kunstonderwijs. In het Nederlandse kunstonderwijs groeit de belangstelling voor de ontwikkelingen in Duitsland. Hoewel de verschillen in de organisatie van het onderwijs soms groot lijken, is er veel te leren van onze oosterburen. Meer aandacht voor theoretische verdieping is er daar een van.

The “voice” of the teacher is only seldom heard in research on teaching and learning. This article proposes and evaluates the use of logbooks as a methodological tool in qualitative research on learning processes. This article describes the way solicited logbooks were used in a research project on arts education in elementary schools. Schoolteachers who were trained by arts educators kept a log during their training program. This article describes how the teachers handled the format of the logbook and evaluates the limits and opportunities the logbooks offers for research. The analysis of the data shows that the half open format may pose limits on its use when informants are inclined to “do it right” and stick to the questions in the format. The research also suggest that the way the teachers relate to the subject of their learning process, the arts, influences the way they handle the format of the logbook. The form of the logbook allows for a thorough analysis of the perspectives, roles, and contexts of subjects’ experiences. Over all, it is concluded that logbooks are a good way to capture the personal experiences of teachers, but only when taking into account the different ways in which respondents use the logbook. It is recommended to supplement the data from the logs with other sources such as interviews.

Wanneer een woord vaker in een zin, of soms aansluitende zinnen voorkomt, is dat als één code gemarkeerd, vandaar het verschil tussen het aantal keer (26) dat wordt gesproken over een nieuwe collega en het aantal keer dat 'Nieuw' voorkomt met de code 'Collega'(23 keer).

This article explores news from Russia printed in francophone literary journals, published in the Dutch Republic in the eighteenth century. In doing so, it highlights the ambivalent view of Russia in the West. It also confirms the crucial influence of Tsar Peter’s visits to Western Europe on the image of Russia and the Russians. The francophone literary journals from the Netherlands, then commonly known as the journaux de Hollande, were considered the best informed and most objective source of news from literary and academic circles. Nevertheless, news from Russia long remained scarce. Even the Nouvelles litteraires , a journal that had a large network of correspondents and a high frequency, did not pay considerable attention to Russia. The articles that do consider Russia and Russian culture present a Janus face of an oriental, almost backward culture, and a powerful, progressive nation, personified in the figure of Peter the Great. In another case, a ‘Western’ example of scholarly...

The future of education is social and creative. Everywhere, governments are stimulating programmes fostering the creative development of children and supporting the collaboration between schools and societal partners. In this paper, the main conclusions of a qualitative analysis of interviews with art teaches and generalist teachers will be presented in the form of a dictionary, explaining the different interpretations and associations the teachers have of crucial aspects such as content, creativity, didactics, learning, safety, space, and structure.

Research into cultural entrepreneurship has not yet yielded a single definition of the term, or consensus on assessment criteria. In policy practice, however, cultural entrepreneurship is used as a criterion for subsidies and grants. This article brings together the criteria surfacing in academic literature in a model that allows both researchers and policy makers to assess cultural entrepreneurship. This model is tested in six case studies from the Netherlands. The conclusions show that, by focusing on five categories derived from the stakeholders of each cultural entrepreneur, a balanced view can be obtained. It is hypothesized that strategic choices may underlie the unbalance found between the five categories with each institution.

The "voice" of the teacher is only seldom heard in research on teaching and learning. This article proposes and evaluates the use of logbooks as a methodological tool in qualitative research on learning processes. This article describes the way solicited logbooks were used in a research project on arts education in elementary schools. Schoolteachers who were trained by arts educators kept a log during their training program. This article describes how the teachers handled the format of the logbook and evaluates the limits and opportunities the logbooks offers for research. The analysis of the data shows that the half open format may pose limits on its use when informants are inclined to "do it right" and stick to the questions in the format. The research also suggest that the way the teachers relate to the subject of their learning process, the arts, influences the way they handle the format of the logbook. The form of the logbook allows for a thorough analysis of the perspectives, roles, and contexts of subjects' experiences. Over all, it is concluded that logbooks are a good way to capture the personal experiences of teachers, but only when taking into account the different ways in which respondents use the logbook. It is recommended to supplement the data from the logs with other sources such as interviews.

Research into cultural entrepreneurship has not yet yielded a single definition of the term, or consensus on assessment criteria. In policy practice, however, cultural entrepreneurship is used as a criterion for subsidies and grants. This article brings together the criteria surfacing in academic literature in a model that allows both researchers and policy makers to assess cultural entrepreneurship. This model is tested in six case studies from the Netherlands. The conclusions show that, by focusing on five categories derived from the stakeholders of each cultural entrepreneur, a balanced view can be obtained. It is hypothesized that strategic choices may underlie the unbalance found between the five categories with each institution.

This article describes the role of the culture coordinator in general formal education, in primary and secondary schools in the Netherlands. This article describes how they function in their professional environment and in contact with artists, providers of educational programs, and cultural institutions. In order to describe the everyday practice of the work of a coordinator and to bring to light the network in which they operate, a group of teachers kept a logbook for one year, describing per week what they did, and which issues concerned them most. The article concludes that the position of the coordinator is fragile, because of its dependency on personal relations with cultural institutions and as a result of the pressure from regular teaching tasks.