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Performing dialogical D utchness: negotiating a national imaginary in parenting guidance
Author(s) -
Reekum Rogier,
Berg Marguerite
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
nations and nationalism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1469-8129
pISSN - 1354-5078
DOI - 10.1111/nana.12101
Subject(s) - dialogical self , the imaginary , nationalism , politics , sociology , openness to experience , context (archaeology) , gender studies , political science , social psychology , law , psychology , history , psychoanalysis , archaeology
In contemporary E urope, national identities are fiercely contested and governments have sought ways to strengthen national identification. Notwithstanding this E uropean pattern, government policies are implemented differently and belonging to the nation comes to involve different images and enactments across contexts. In the N etherlands, especially, belonging to the nation is at stake in many high‐profile public and political struggles. In this context, a pervasive public imaginary we call ‘dialogical D utchness’ represents the D utch as distinctly anti‐nationalist and open to difference. This raises the question whether national boundaries actually become traversable in view of such a national imaginary. How does one become a D utch subject if D utchness entails not being nationalist? Through the analysis of a D utch social policy practice – state‐provided parenting courses – we show how dialogical D utchness is negotiated and transformed in actual enactments of national difference and belonging. Although dialogical D utchness foregrounds openness to difference and valorises discussion, it comes to perpetuate and substantiate boundaries between those who belong to the nation and those whose belonging is still in question.