(pro)claiming tradition

the "Judeo-Christian" roots of Dutch society and the rise of conservative nationalism

pp. 53-76

in: Rosi Braidotti, Bolette Blaagaard, Tobijn de Graauw, Eva Midden (eds), Transformations of religion and the public sphere, Berlin, Springer, 2014

Abstract

From burgeoning EU scepticism in Great Britain, ¹ to criticism of Islam and multiculturalism in Belgium, ² Germany, ³ France, ⁴ and the Netherlands, the appeal to "Judeo-Christian' roots of Western societies has been part of the rise of conservative nationalisms all over Europe. If the "postsec-ular' at its very basis indeed signals a renewed place for religion in political debates, conservative nationalists have proven to be more effective postsecularists than their counterparts. By discussing uses of the phrase Judeo-Christian in Dutch political debates, this article aims to investigate the successful mixture between neoconservatism and the postsecular invocation of religious roots that, as I will argue, plays an important role in the current transformation of Dutch society. I will conclude by suggesting a number of vistas for research that can contribute to the debate surrounding the religious roots of Dutch identity.