Thoughts on Dutch Canon and Collective Memory on the Occasion of 400th Anniversary Cover Image

“Onze vinger zit nog in het gat” 400. Yıl Vesilesiyle Hollanda Canon’u ve Kolektif Bellek Üzerine Düşünceler
Thoughts on Dutch Canon and Collective Memory on the Occasion of 400th Anniversary

Author(s): Pınar Melis Yelsalı Parmaksız
Subject(s): Cultural history, Social history, Culture and social structure
Published by: Uluslararası Kıbrıs Üniversitesi
Keywords: Canon; The Netherlands; Collective Memory; Memory Regime; Coming to terms with the past;

Summary/Abstract: The Canon book containing fifty titles (windows) and corresponding texts indicating the significant events, people and themes in the history of the Netherlands, has the claim of representing the minimum product of Dutch collective memory as well as being designed to be used as the history book in the secondary school curriculum. The Canon book which was presented to the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science by the Committee for the Development of the Dutch Canon on July 3rd 2007 was published not only in Dutch and English but also translated to the languages of the main demographic groups making up the Netherlands. Because of these qualities the Canon book is closely connected with the debates of identity, nationalism and democracy laying on the agenda of national as well as international politics. In addition that, the idea which became relevant after the WWII that the Europe is not only the name of an geographic place but is about Europeanness based on the idea of common past encompassing its political, social, economic, cultural characteristics calls for a closer look at the Canon book. From this point of view, the aim of this article is both to evaluate the Canon book with respect to its effects concerning the immigrants originates from Turkey and to make a consideration on the subjects of collective memory, memory regime, coming to terms with the past. To make a consideration on Canon also means thinking on a multicultural memory regime allowing the past to arise from variable sources and to become a part of the collective memory as well as on equal, democratic and pluralistic sociabilities.

  • Issue Year: 19/2013
  • Issue No: 73
  • Page Range: 221-228
  • Page Count: 8
  • Language: Turkish