Women’s suffrage, the eight-hour working day, the abolition of slavery… These are acquired rights that seem self-evident today, but have not always been so. In fact, the creation of these rights was often preceded by a fierce social struggle. Even today, protest actions and social movements give rise to political controversy and discussion. At the same time, the Netherlands is not known for its rich protest history or culture, and the alleged international influence on the development of social struggle in the Netherlands is often viewed with suspicion.

Short summary

In order to learn to reflect critically and carefully on the impact and role of protest and social movements, a six-part programme series is being organised at Leiden University. During the project “Hope springs eternal”: Protest and social movements in the Netherlands, academics and those involved in social movements will engage in talk show-style discussions with each other and the audience. Key questions such as ‘What is the role of protest in a democracy?’, ‘What forms of resistance do we consider legitimate and why?’ and ‘How can social movements be sources of hope?’ serve as substantive guidelines.

Each programme will focus on one or two social movements, such as the anti-racism movement, the housing struggle, the queer and women's movements, or the disability movement.

Interdisciplinary contributions

The exact details of the public meetings will be worked out in collaboration with students from Leiden University. The active involvement of these students will be encouraged during two preparatory activation meetings in July and September. The six public events will then take place in the 2025/2026 academic year.

The aim of the programme series is to contribute to the development of (public) education, stimulate research, and facilitate interfaculty cross-pollination in the field of protest and social movements in the Netherlands at Leiden University.

Share on Facebook Share by Bluesky Share on LinkedIn Share by WhatsApp Share by Mastodon