Matthijs Lok - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Matthijs Lok

Eurocentrism means seeing the world in Europe’s terms and through European eyes. This may not be ... more Eurocentrism means seeing the world in Europe’s terms and through European eyes. This may not be unreasonable for Europeans, but there are unforeseen consequences. Eurocentric history implies that a scientific modernity has diffused out from Europe to benefit the rest of the world, through colonies and development aid. It involves the imposition of European norms on places and times where they are often quite inappropriate. In Eurocentrism in European History and Memory, well-known scholars explore and critically analyse manifestations of Eurocentrism in representations of the European past from different disciplines — history, literature, art, memory and cultural policy — as well as from different geographical perspectives. The book investigates the role imaginings of the European past since the eighteenth century played in the construction of a Europeanist worldview and the ways in which ‘Europe’ was constructed in literature and art.

History

L'Europe est le théâtre sur lequel on a toujours vu le vrai caractère de l'homme se déployer avec... more L'Europe est le théâtre sur lequel on a toujours vu le vrai caractère de l'homme se déployer avec de plus grands avantages. Nicholas de Bonneville (1789) 1 Although many histories of the idea of Europe have appeared, so far a comprehensive 'history of the idea of European history' is missing: J. van der Dussen and K. Wilson (eds),

BMGN - Low Countries Historical Review, 2015

The Napoleonic Empire and the New European Political Culture, 2012

Tijdschrift voor geschiedenis, 2014

In this article several new publications on the critics of the Enlightenment are reviewed. These ... more In this article several new publications on the critics of the Enlightenment are reviewed. These works build partly on the legacy of Isaiah Berlin’s concept of the Counter-Enlightenment, but they also emphasise the problematic nature of his essentialistic and timeless interpretation of the Counter-Enlightenment tradition. The authors argue that the so-called enemies of the Enlightenment should in fact be examined as part of the Enlightenment itself, and that the Enlightenment cannot be understood without studying its self-proclaimed enemies.

Revue D Histoire Du Xixe Siecle Societe D Histoire De La Revolution De 1848 Et Des Revolutions Du Xixe Siecle, Dec 1, 2014

This article examines the examines the experience of (dis-)continuity and temporal confusion of 1... more This article examines the examines the experience of (dis-)continuity and temporal confusion of 1814 from a comparative perspective, with France and the Netherlands as case studies. In France the Restored Bourbons emphasized the ‘renewal of the chain of time’ in an attempt to forget the revolutionary past. The temporal continuity with Henri IV was underscored and the perception of historical distance to the sixteenth century was minimized. In the Kingdom of the Netherlands there existed a more complex attitude to the era of the wars of religion. On one hand the sixteenth century Dutch revolt against Spain was used a frame to interpret the end of the Napoleonic rule in the Netherlands. On the other hand, the superiority of the nineteenth century over the sixteenth century was expressed in many Dutch pamphlets and the years ‘1813-1815’ were described in Dutch public opinion as a ‘new beginning’ in national time. Finally the problem of (dis-) continuity is studied from the comparative perspective of the girouette (turncoat or ‘political weathervane’). The girouette in both countries epitomizes the personal and institutional continuity between Empire and Restoration, but also symbolizes the adaption to the new political circumstances and the reinvention of individual pasts.

Bmgn Low Countries Historical Review, Mar 19, 2012

matthijs lok and natalie scholz Historians of gender often see the construction of hegemonic imag... more matthijs lok and natalie scholz Historians of gender often see the construction of hegemonic images of masculinity as the result of long-term cultural processes. In this article we investigate the influence of short-term political events on the shaping of dominant political masculinities by comparing the representations of the early French and Dutch Restoration monarchies. The events of the political transition of 1813-1815 greatly influenced the competition of different models of masculinity existing in the early nineteenth century. In both countries the newly established monarchs aimed to legitimate their insecure rule by presenting themselves as 'loving fathers' returning to their despairing children after the dark years of exile. The Dutch monarchy differed from the French case with regards to the role of women in the monarchical representation and the duality of the representation of William I as father and hero. Unlike Louis XVIII, William could present his fatherly rule as a return to the national tradition of domesticity (huiselijkheid). Masculinity and political crisis It has often been observed that in times of deep crisis gender categories play a particularly important role in political discourse. At such moments gendered concepts and images are often used to confirm one's own party's strength and legitimacy, as well as to undermine the credibility and authority of the enemy, whether domestic or foreign. Gender historians of political culture, who soon began to study masculinity intensively, have paid a great deal of attention to this aspect, for example in the context of the French Revolution, the Third Reich or, most recently, the early Cold War. For this reason, the

BMGN - Low Countries Historical Review, 2012

matthijs lok and natalie scholz Historians of gender often see the construction of hegemonic imag... more matthijs lok and natalie scholz Historians of gender often see the construction of hegemonic images of masculinity as the result of long-term cultural processes. In this article we investigate the influence of short-term political events on the shaping of dominant political masculinities by comparing the representations of the early French and Dutch Restoration monarchies. The events of the political transition of 1813-1815 greatly influenced the competition of different models of masculinity existing in the early nineteenth century. In both countries the newly established monarchs aimed to legitimate their insecure rule by presenting themselves as 'loving fathers' returning to their despairing children after the dark years of exile. The Dutch monarchy differed from the French case with regards to the role of women in the monarchical representation and the duality of the representation of William I as father and hero. Unlike Louis XVIII, William could present his fatherly rule as a return to the national tradition of domesticity (huiselijkheid). Masculinity and political crisis It has often been observed that in times of deep crisis gender categories play a particularly important role in political discourse. At such moments gendered concepts and images are often used to confirm one's own party's strength and legitimacy, as well as to undermine the credibility and authority of the enemy, whether domestic or foreign. Gender historians of political culture, who soon began to study masculinity intensively, have paid a great deal of attention to this aspect, for example in the context of the French Revolution, the Third Reich or, most recently, the early Cold War. For this reason, the

Annales historiques de la Révolution française, 2009

Fontes Artis Musicae, 2009

Cet article pose la question de l’éventuelle possibilité d’exporter le concept d’« extrême centre... more Cet article pose la question de l’éventuelle possibilité d’exporter le concept d’« extrême centre » du champ français vers d’autres pays européens, ayant connu à partir de 1795 et sous l’Empire, l’influence ou le modèle d’une politisation ou d’une administration de type français. « L’extrême-centre » compris comme la politique de la modération couplée à un exécutif fort et à

Revue d'histoire du XIXe siècle, 2014

This article examines the examines the experience of (dis-)continuity and temporal confusion of 1... more This article examines the examines the experience of (dis-)continuity and temporal confusion of 1814 from a comparative perspective, with France and the Netherlands as case studies. In France the Restored Bourbons emphasized the ‘renewal of the chain of time’ in an attempt to forget the revolutionary past. The temporal continuity with Henri IV was underscored and the perception of historical distance to the sixteenth century was minimized. In the Kingdom of the Netherlands there existed a more complex attitude to the era of the wars of religion. On one hand the sixteenth century Dutch revolt against Spain was used a frame to interpret the end of the Napoleonic rule in the Netherlands. On the other hand, the superiority of the nineteenth century over the sixteenth century was expressed in many Dutch pamphlets and the years ‘1813-1815’ were described in Dutch public opinion as a ‘new beginning’ in national time. Finally the problem of (dis-) continuity is studied from the comparative perspective of the girouette (turncoat or ‘political weathervane’). The girouette in both countries epitomizes the personal and institutional continuity between Empire and Restoration, but also symbolizes the adaption to the new political circumstances and the reinvention of individual pasts.

The Napoleonic Empire and the New European Political Culture, 2012

... par grace de dieu, roi de France et de Navarre' zijn feestelijke intocht in de .... more ... par grace de dieu, roi de France et de Navarre' zijn feestelijke intocht in de ... De katholieke bekeringsmissies in de Franse steden en op het platteland pro-beerden juist de ... staatsinstellingen: de Raad van State, de Staatssecretarie in het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, de Conseil d ...

Marjet Brolsma, Robin de Bruin & Matthijs Lok (eds.), Eurocentrism in European History and Memory, Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Press, 2019

Eurocentrism means seeing the world in Europe’s terms and through European eyes. This may not be ... more Eurocentrism means seeing the world in Europe’s terms and through European eyes. This may not be unreasonable for Europeans, but there are unforeseen consequences. Eurocentric history implies that a scientific modernity has diffused out from Europe to benefit the rest of the world, through colonies and development aid. It involves the imposition of European norms on places and times where they are often quite inappropriate. In Eurocentrism in European History and Memory, well-known scholars explore and critically analyse manifestations of Eurocentrism in representations of the European past from different disciplines — history, literature, art, memory and cultural policy — as well as from different geographical perspectives. The book investigates the role imaginings of the European past since the eighteenth century played in the construction of a Europeanist worldview and the ways in which ‘Europe’ was constructed in literature and art.

International Journal for History, Culture and Modernity

Although there is little historical evidence for a clear-cut dichotomy between Enlightenment and ... more Although there is little historical evidence for a clear-cut dichotomy between Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment as two coherent and unchanging traditions, it still makes sense to talk about Enlightened as well as Counter-Enlightened currents in modern thought. Much of the extant literature has been devoted to the Counter-Enlightenment's European context. We now draw attention to the global dimensions of Counter-Enlightened thought. Did a 'Counter-Enlightened international' exist? Can we draw parallels between manifestations of a Counter-Enlightenment in different parts of the world?

Eurocentrism means seeing the world in Europe’s terms and through European eyes. This may not be ... more Eurocentrism means seeing the world in Europe’s terms and through European eyes. This may not be unreasonable for Europeans, but there are unforeseen consequences. Eurocentric history implies that a scientific modernity has diffused out from Europe to benefit the rest of the world, through colonies and development aid. It involves the imposition of European norms on places and times where they are often quite inappropriate. In Eurocentrism in European History and Memory, well-known scholars explore and critically analyse manifestations of Eurocentrism in representations of the European past from different disciplines — history, literature, art, memory and cultural policy — as well as from different geographical perspectives. The book investigates the role imaginings of the European past since the eighteenth century played in the construction of a Europeanist worldview and the ways in which ‘Europe’ was constructed in literature and art.

History

L'Europe est le théâtre sur lequel on a toujours vu le vrai caractère de l'homme se déployer avec... more L'Europe est le théâtre sur lequel on a toujours vu le vrai caractère de l'homme se déployer avec de plus grands avantages. Nicholas de Bonneville (1789) 1 Although many histories of the idea of Europe have appeared, so far a comprehensive 'history of the idea of European history' is missing: J. van der Dussen and K. Wilson (eds),

BMGN - Low Countries Historical Review, 2015

The Napoleonic Empire and the New European Political Culture, 2012

Tijdschrift voor geschiedenis, 2014

In this article several new publications on the critics of the Enlightenment are reviewed. These ... more In this article several new publications on the critics of the Enlightenment are reviewed. These works build partly on the legacy of Isaiah Berlin’s concept of the Counter-Enlightenment, but they also emphasise the problematic nature of his essentialistic and timeless interpretation of the Counter-Enlightenment tradition. The authors argue that the so-called enemies of the Enlightenment should in fact be examined as part of the Enlightenment itself, and that the Enlightenment cannot be understood without studying its self-proclaimed enemies.

Revue D Histoire Du Xixe Siecle Societe D Histoire De La Revolution De 1848 Et Des Revolutions Du Xixe Siecle, Dec 1, 2014

This article examines the examines the experience of (dis-)continuity and temporal confusion of 1... more This article examines the examines the experience of (dis-)continuity and temporal confusion of 1814 from a comparative perspective, with France and the Netherlands as case studies. In France the Restored Bourbons emphasized the ‘renewal of the chain of time’ in an attempt to forget the revolutionary past. The temporal continuity with Henri IV was underscored and the perception of historical distance to the sixteenth century was minimized. In the Kingdom of the Netherlands there existed a more complex attitude to the era of the wars of religion. On one hand the sixteenth century Dutch revolt against Spain was used a frame to interpret the end of the Napoleonic rule in the Netherlands. On the other hand, the superiority of the nineteenth century over the sixteenth century was expressed in many Dutch pamphlets and the years ‘1813-1815’ were described in Dutch public opinion as a ‘new beginning’ in national time. Finally the problem of (dis-) continuity is studied from the comparative perspective of the girouette (turncoat or ‘political weathervane’). The girouette in both countries epitomizes the personal and institutional continuity between Empire and Restoration, but also symbolizes the adaption to the new political circumstances and the reinvention of individual pasts.

Bmgn Low Countries Historical Review, Mar 19, 2012

matthijs lok and natalie scholz Historians of gender often see the construction of hegemonic imag... more matthijs lok and natalie scholz Historians of gender often see the construction of hegemonic images of masculinity as the result of long-term cultural processes. In this article we investigate the influence of short-term political events on the shaping of dominant political masculinities by comparing the representations of the early French and Dutch Restoration monarchies. The events of the political transition of 1813-1815 greatly influenced the competition of different models of masculinity existing in the early nineteenth century. In both countries the newly established monarchs aimed to legitimate their insecure rule by presenting themselves as 'loving fathers' returning to their despairing children after the dark years of exile. The Dutch monarchy differed from the French case with regards to the role of women in the monarchical representation and the duality of the representation of William I as father and hero. Unlike Louis XVIII, William could present his fatherly rule as a return to the national tradition of domesticity (huiselijkheid). Masculinity and political crisis It has often been observed that in times of deep crisis gender categories play a particularly important role in political discourse. At such moments gendered concepts and images are often used to confirm one's own party's strength and legitimacy, as well as to undermine the credibility and authority of the enemy, whether domestic or foreign. Gender historians of political culture, who soon began to study masculinity intensively, have paid a great deal of attention to this aspect, for example in the context of the French Revolution, the Third Reich or, most recently, the early Cold War. For this reason, the

BMGN - Low Countries Historical Review, 2012

matthijs lok and natalie scholz Historians of gender often see the construction of hegemonic imag... more matthijs lok and natalie scholz Historians of gender often see the construction of hegemonic images of masculinity as the result of long-term cultural processes. In this article we investigate the influence of short-term political events on the shaping of dominant political masculinities by comparing the representations of the early French and Dutch Restoration monarchies. The events of the political transition of 1813-1815 greatly influenced the competition of different models of masculinity existing in the early nineteenth century. In both countries the newly established monarchs aimed to legitimate their insecure rule by presenting themselves as 'loving fathers' returning to their despairing children after the dark years of exile. The Dutch monarchy differed from the French case with regards to the role of women in the monarchical representation and the duality of the representation of William I as father and hero. Unlike Louis XVIII, William could present his fatherly rule as a return to the national tradition of domesticity (huiselijkheid). Masculinity and political crisis It has often been observed that in times of deep crisis gender categories play a particularly important role in political discourse. At such moments gendered concepts and images are often used to confirm one's own party's strength and legitimacy, as well as to undermine the credibility and authority of the enemy, whether domestic or foreign. Gender historians of political culture, who soon began to study masculinity intensively, have paid a great deal of attention to this aspect, for example in the context of the French Revolution, the Third Reich or, most recently, the early Cold War. For this reason, the

Annales historiques de la Révolution française, 2009

Fontes Artis Musicae, 2009

Cet article pose la question de l’éventuelle possibilité d’exporter le concept d’« extrême centre... more Cet article pose la question de l’éventuelle possibilité d’exporter le concept d’« extrême centre » du champ français vers d’autres pays européens, ayant connu à partir de 1795 et sous l’Empire, l’influence ou le modèle d’une politisation ou d’une administration de type français. « L’extrême-centre » compris comme la politique de la modération couplée à un exécutif fort et à

Revue d'histoire du XIXe siècle, 2014

This article examines the examines the experience of (dis-)continuity and temporal confusion of 1... more This article examines the examines the experience of (dis-)continuity and temporal confusion of 1814 from a comparative perspective, with France and the Netherlands as case studies. In France the Restored Bourbons emphasized the ‘renewal of the chain of time’ in an attempt to forget the revolutionary past. The temporal continuity with Henri IV was underscored and the perception of historical distance to the sixteenth century was minimized. In the Kingdom of the Netherlands there existed a more complex attitude to the era of the wars of religion. On one hand the sixteenth century Dutch revolt against Spain was used a frame to interpret the end of the Napoleonic rule in the Netherlands. On the other hand, the superiority of the nineteenth century over the sixteenth century was expressed in many Dutch pamphlets and the years ‘1813-1815’ were described in Dutch public opinion as a ‘new beginning’ in national time. Finally the problem of (dis-) continuity is studied from the comparative perspective of the girouette (turncoat or ‘political weathervane’). The girouette in both countries epitomizes the personal and institutional continuity between Empire and Restoration, but also symbolizes the adaption to the new political circumstances and the reinvention of individual pasts.

The Napoleonic Empire and the New European Political Culture, 2012

... par grace de dieu, roi de France et de Navarre' zijn feestelijke intocht in de .... more ... par grace de dieu, roi de France et de Navarre' zijn feestelijke intocht in de ... De katholieke bekeringsmissies in de Franse steden en op het platteland pro-beerden juist de ... staatsinstellingen: de Raad van State, de Staatssecretarie in het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, de Conseil d ...

Marjet Brolsma, Robin de Bruin & Matthijs Lok (eds.), Eurocentrism in European History and Memory, Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Press, 2019

Eurocentrism means seeing the world in Europe’s terms and through European eyes. This may not be ... more Eurocentrism means seeing the world in Europe’s terms and through European eyes. This may not be unreasonable for Europeans, but there are unforeseen consequences. Eurocentric history implies that a scientific modernity has diffused out from Europe to benefit the rest of the world, through colonies and development aid. It involves the imposition of European norms on places and times where they are often quite inappropriate. In Eurocentrism in European History and Memory, well-known scholars explore and critically analyse manifestations of Eurocentrism in representations of the European past from different disciplines — history, literature, art, memory and cultural policy — as well as from different geographical perspectives. The book investigates the role imaginings of the European past since the eighteenth century played in the construction of a Europeanist worldview and the ways in which ‘Europe’ was constructed in literature and art.

International Journal for History, Culture and Modernity

Although there is little historical evidence for a clear-cut dichotomy between Enlightenment and ... more Although there is little historical evidence for a clear-cut dichotomy between Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment as two coherent and unchanging traditions, it still makes sense to talk about Enlightened as well as Counter-Enlightened currents in modern thought. Much of the extant literature has been devoted to the Counter-Enlightenment's European context. We now draw attention to the global dimensions of Counter-Enlightened thought. Did a 'Counter-Enlightened international' exist? Can we draw parallels between manifestations of a Counter-Enlightenment in different parts of the world?