Book tips
It doesn’t come as a surprise that humanities academics like to put their ideas, findings and stories on paper. The following books written by alums and/or teachers have recently been published.
Ad Verbrugge The Crisis of Authority (only available in Dutch) Philosophical essay on a shaky order
We live in turbulent times. Crises follow one another in rapid succession, the political landscape becomes fragmented and the functioning of the democratic constitutional state is under discussion. There is criticism of 'the elite', traditional media are increasingly distrusted and formerly authoritative institutions are under fire. At the same time, there is a growing realisation that there are no simple solutions; the problem runs deeper.
In his essay The crisis of authority, philosopher Ad Verbrugge argues for a fundamental reflection on our postmodern culture, taking as its starting point man as a community being seeking meaning.
Available at Boom Filosofie
Bob Pierik Zo veel leven voor de deur (English title not available) A history of everyday Amsterdam in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
What did the lives of everyday Amsterdam residents look like in the 17th and 18th centuries? With this question in mind, Bob Pierik began his PhD research in 2017. The extraordinary nature of the answers necessitated a publication that had to be shared with a wider audience. In the notarial archives, Pierik discovered a huge collection of witness statements that had been made in the presence of the chief officer of Amsterdam. The archive turned out to be a treasure trove of information about everyday Amsterdam residents - from lower to upper middle class - who were fighting a conflict in the presence of the chief officer.
Available at Meulenhoff
Edwin Koster What is science? (only available in Dutch) Philosophy for life scientists and medics
Can everything that scientists discover be applied? What exactly is scientific integrity, and how do you envision examining the interplay between science and society? This fifth, updated edition illustrates the theoretical basis of scientific practice and philosophy of science - from Popper, Kuhn and Latour to the recent debate about a 'science in transition' - with anecdotes from the history of life science. The foreword is written by Dr Jeroen Geurts, rector and member of the Executive Board of VU Amsterdam.
Available at VU University Press
Emilie van Opstall Op ooghoogte (English title not available) Goessie de kwal en andere grote vraagstukken
'Goessie is his name,' says Nathan (6), as the surf washes over his feet. Everything is water, sand and salt. Nathan's friends rush over. Goessie's milky-white rubbery body passes from hand to hand. When the shadows lengthen and it's time to go, Nathan takes Goessie home. 'Are you scared? Just close your eyes! You’re trembling all over!' Nathan says emphatically. But how do you know if a jellyfish is alive or dead? And what it feels? How hard is the line between humans and animals? Observations from Nathan and other children provide the light-hearted starting point for a series of thoughts on big questions, recognisable to everyone. Their childlike wonder gives adults food for thought.
Available at Querido
Ivo Blom Quo vadis?, Cabiria and the ‘Archaeologists’ Early Italian Cinema’s Appropriation of Art and Archaeology
In the early 1910s, Italy was world leader in cinema with its spectacular films of Roman and Carthaginian antiquity. Despite their innovations in storytelling and mise en scène, filmmakers like Guazzoni and Pastrone also looked backward to the 19th century, by appropriating not only literature and theatre, but also painting, which has been hitherto little researched. ‘Archaeologist’ painters like Gérôme, Alma-Tadema and Rochegrosse, who combined painstaking historical research with their own imagination of antiquity, thus experienced a second life in the 20th century medium of film.
Available at Kaplan
magazine for humanities alumni december 2023