An overview of Dutch politics and Political Science in the Netherlands: the Oxford Handbook of Dutch Politics
Dutch politics has long been a paragon of stability. Think, for example, of our party system until, say, the last decade. At the same time, we also see occasional changes and significant shifts. Society has changed and this is reflected in, among other things, how we vote and how policy is made. About time, then, for a long-term perspective on the state of affairs in Dutch politics. You will find this in the Oxford Handbook of Dutch Politics, which comes out today. Political scientists, public administration experts and other scholars from all over the Netherlands have contributed to it. Leiden University is represented by a large group of editors and chapter authors.
From the monarchy to new media
The Handbook, which is published by Oxford University Press, is intended primarily for academics with the Netherlands as their field of work or interest. But advanced students and profoundly involved readers will also be able to use it in their studies or work. Most will not read it from cover to cover; rather, the Handbook is a reference work (it runs to more than 800 pages), familiarising the reader with various topics—from our monarchy to the role of new media in the political landscape; from the Dutch water authorities to immigration policy.
Set structure
The chapters follow a set structure. First, an outline of the topic at hand is provided. Then its historical development is charted, as well as and how researchers view the subject. Finally, each chapter identifies any open ends that should be addressed.
Political scientists from Leiden...
The Institute of Political Science is well represented on the cover and in the table of contents of the Handbook. Tom Louwerse is one of the four editors of the volume. He wrote, with Cynthia van Vonno, the chapter on our parliamentary politics and is co-author of the main section on government coalitions. There are also contributions by Simon Otjes (the Dutch party system and party organisations), Joop van Holsteyn and Professor Emeritus Galen Irwin (voting behaviour), Wouter Veenendaal (relations between the constituent parts of the Kingdom) and Arjen Boin (crisis management). The recently deceased former professor Rudy Andeweg wrote a chapter on pillarisation and pacification democracy.
... and scholars from almost all Dutch universities
In addition to these Leiden political scientists, colleagues from the Leiden faculties of Governance and Global Affairs, Law and Humanities also collaborated on the book. And the collaboration extends throughout the Netherlands: political scientists, public administration experts and other scholars from virtually all Dutch universities have contributed to the Handbook. Thus, the Oxford Handbook of Dutch Politics not only provides an in-depth sampling of Dutch politics; it also offers a current overview of research on Dutch politics at universities in the Netherlands.