Education Between Indoctrination and Emancipation

Gender Education and the Transformation of Calvinism in the Netherlands, 1870‐1970

“…However, by training its members to be so discerning, critical, independent-minded and decisive, it also made a significant contribution to the subsequent secularization and the break-up of the Neo-Calvinist pillar from the 1950s onwards, a process which happened much faster, and in stormier and a more principled way than in the cases of the other pillars (Sturm, 1993). In particular, the federation of the girls' clubs has helped girls and young women in the long term to stand up for themselves in the traditionally sexist-oriented Calvinist culture.…”

“…In particular, the federation of the girls' clubs has helped girls and young women in the long term to stand up for themselves in the traditionally sexist-oriented Calvinist culture. Like other fruits of the NeoCalvinist enterprise, the girls' federation actually carried the seeds of its own destruction in itself from the start (Sturm, 1993). It encouraged young women to work, to think, to take decisions, to will, to feel and to believe for themselves (Wirtz, 1929, p. 101).…”

Educational Pluralism - a historical study of so-called 'pillarization' in the Netherlands, including a comparison with some developments in South African education

“…W e believe to have demonstrated that voluntary apartheid in Dutch history, under the speci® c conditions of place and tim e, has helped cultural m inorities to work them selves up from a disadvantag eous position tow ards equality, while prom oting social harm ony, solidarity and com m itm ent on the national level (Sturm , 1993;Knippenberg, 1996). W hat was essential to this em ancipato ry process of gaining political strength and cultural self-reliance thro ugh social isolationÐ aptly phrase d`sovereignty in one' s ow n circle' or`sphere sovereignty' (Kuyper, 1880)Ð was th at these m inorities were being m ore and m ore ® nancially suppo rted by the governm ent and were ® nally accepted as ® rm and vital pillars of society as a whole.…”