How Can One Not Be Interested in Belgian History: War, Language and Consensus in Belgium Since 1830

by Benno Barnard, Martine van Berlo, Geert van Istendael

Belgium rarely attracts outside attention. Yet the country is more than fine chocolates, delicious beers or Tintin. This volume celebrates Belgium as a federal, post-nationalist country, which combines cultural pragmatism with a rather solid social consensus. It presents a critical vision of the origins of Belgian independence and of that complex notion named belgitude . It illustrates how the deep-seated tradition of local autonomy and suspicion towards state authority go hand in hand with a strong sense of individual tolerance and solidarity, with a rejection of violent confrontation and a continuous search for consensus. In this volume, prominent commentators on things Belgian combine critical and irreverent observations with a strong attachment to the existence of the country and its role on the international stage. They emphasize the potential of linguistic diversity and cultural plurality. They also point out the ambivalent relation between history, national myths, and the lasagne identity of most Belgians. Belgium may be a model or a warning. Its history addresses questions of identity and security, of a sense of cohesion and common purpose or the
lack thereof. Belgium does matter. This volume tells you why."

Genres: Belgium, History

151 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2005

Reviews

[Hanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection of papers varies wildly in quality. I loved the chapter by de Schaepdrijver

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is very misleading, as it implies a simple, popular history bursting with fun and interesting facts. What we actually get is a collection of half a dozen speeches given at an academic conference, wildly varying in tone, length and quality. Probably only three of them are worth reading. Tony Judt provides a useful overview of the main issues, Sophie de Schaepdrijver zooms in on one small but fascinating period, and Marc Reynebeau's concluding piece wraps things up nicely, although with a little too much historiography for my taste. In fact it's not so much historiography (writing about history) as it is writing *about* historiography. What's the word for that?

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading the different perspectives of the various writers. Not a thorough history but explains some reasons behind some of the issues confronting Belgium today. Quick enjoyable read.