Amsterdam: Global Historical Perspectives-Period 2 Social Sciences & Humanities Program Fall 2020 Semester - Amsterdam

This seminar puts urban developments in a global perspective, starting from the case-study Amsterdam. We investigate the history of the harbor and the transformation of the waterfront of Amsterdam in a global comparative perspective in the period 1850-2000 and compare that to waterfronts of other cities. In the Golden Age of the seventeenth century, the waterfront was the commercial contactzone between land and water, and between Amsterdam and its trading partners all over the world. Over time the commercial harbours moved outwards and the relinquished space was transformed into quarters for private husing. By the late nineteenth century, during the second Golden Age, Amsterdam encapsulated the IJcanal, and the IJcanal transformed to an inner-city square. By the late twentieth century this process of urban transformation accelerated again, as all shores of the IJ, including many former commercial harbour islands, were redesigned for private housing and 'creative industry', like music, film, museums and art exhibition. Questions we want to answer in this seminar are: how did the harbour develop and how did the transformations of the waterfront occur both in Amsterdam and in other large cities, like Hamburg, Tokio, Singapore, London, Sydney, or Baltimore? To what extent did Amsterdam copy models, and was Amsterdam also a model for others? What was, for instance, the role of private entrepreneurs and public authorities? How could citizen participate in the transformation process? This class will contribute to your international orientation through the internationally comparative content and through experience in the international classroom, for many international students attend this course. The course includes excursions to the harbour and waterfront and to such highlights of urban design and historical icons like the EYE Institute and the National Maritime Museum.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.