Out of Character: Dutchness as a Public Problem

摘要: Public debate became a crucial, political terrain for the culturalisation of citizenship in Netherlands. This chapter reconstructs emergence debates and discourses that have shaped this since 1970s. In contrast to historical narratives which is understood be reaction weak nationalism an imposed multicultural policy regime, argues emerging about Dutchness did not critique but reiterated well-established images Dutch exceptionalism: post-racism, outspokenness moral autonomy liberality. disagreements formed substance national identity, its public enactment. As shifted from struggles over character began focus on questions such performative supposed deficiencies. The formation identity late 1980s early 1990s thereby enacted both exceptionalised aspects as well ongoing crisis identity. Thus, helped sustain notion culture ought protected reinvigorated. Out problematisation ethnic religious diversity eventually came proposals using ‘Dutch culture’ instrument assimilation into community tool excluding those purportedly belong country exceptional freedoms. Debates post-2001 instrumentalisations Dutchness, form revamped enculturation creation history canon, logic fame inclusions exclusions are justified relation native public. ends by suggesting that, recently, struggle might once more: away ‘identity crisis’ towards renewed race injustice.