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Humanities and the arts
- Contemporary literature
- Literatures in Dutch
- Narratology
In 21st century prose from the Netherlands, Christian discourse often interacts with discourses on sexuality, gender and cultural identity. This project examines the cultural meaning and narrative embedding of this interaction in 21st century novels from the Netherlands. Firstly, building on the insights of post-secularism, which explores how religion transforms in the context of modern developments, this project investigates the impact of discourses concerning sexuality, gender and cultural identity on Christianity. Secondly, to examine the role of Christian discourse on the literary construction of gender, sexuality and cultural identity, this project investigates whether Christianity has an oppressive or emancipatory impact on these identity vectors. Finally, when answering these questions about reciprocal impact, the role of the literary form in these interactions is considered. By examining whether interactions vary depending on the narrative level at which they occur (the narrated or the narrating), we gain a better understanding of the ways in which novels approach identity vectors whose interaction often leads to public debates. The role of Christianity in cultural identity often causes controversy, as well as Christianity’s attitude towards discourses on sexuality and gender.