From urban mist to social body

Five proposals have been honoured in the subsidy programme ’Urbanisation and Urban Culture’. A total of 2.5 million euros has been awarded. From different perspectives all five projects are searching for an answer to the question: Which forces and phenomena are responsible for a town’s ongoing capacity for innovation and public services?

The programme ’Urbanisation & Urban Culture’ is divided into three thematic clusters: urban patterns of economic dynamics and social mobility; urbanity, urban self-images and urban representation; and urban openness and the public sphere. In the funding round for 2005-2006, the Selection Committee received thirteen full proposals. Five of these were awarded.

The awarded projects are:

The city as a ’social body’ between 1350 and 1650
Prof. D.E.H. (Dick) de Boer, University of Groningen – History and Prof. B.A.M. (Bart) Ramakers, University of Groningen – Medieval Studies
With the help of archaeological, literary and historical techniques this project will investigate the rapid growth and changes in urban communities in the north of the Netherlands between 1350 and 1650.

Urban mist: metamorphosis of the northern edge of the Randstad region Prof. J.E. (Koos) Bosma, Vrije Universiteit – History of Art and Prof. C.A. (Karel) Davids, Vrije Universiteit – History

The researchers will analyse the causes and reason for the development in the twentieth century of urban ’mists’ in which towns and rural areas are increasingly interwoven with each other.

The evolution of Dutch cultural industry in an international perspective
Prof. R.C. (Robert) Kloosterman, Universiteit van Amsterdam – Spatial Sciences and Prof. M.R. (Maarten) Prak, Utrecht University – History
The research centres on the development of the most important cultural industries in Dutch towns from the 17th century to the present day.

An alternative history of the Dutch city
Prof. B.E.J. (Bruno) de Meulder and Dr C.H. (Kees) Doevendans, Eindhoven University of Technology – Urban Design
The study will concentrate on the place of children and entrepreneurs from ethnic groups in the Dutch urban environment.

New towns as instruments for politics, economics and culture in the late Middle Ages
Prof. F.C.W.J. (Frans) Theuws, Universiteit van Amsterdam – Amsterdam Archaeological Centre and Prof. A.J.A. (Arnoud-Jan) Bijsterveld, University of Twente – Sociocultural Sciences
The research will focus on the emergence of the Duchy of Brabant in the late Middle Ages.