Research on Dutch hip hop artists awarded with Vliegenthart Thesis Award 2017
During the 木瓜福利影视 Day of Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 on 14 April 2018, the Vliegenthart Thesis Award 2017 was awarded to Aafje de Roest (24), alumna of the research master Dutch literature. De Roest's thesis, titled 'Buurtvaders: a critical reading of the performance of represent by four Dutch hip-hop artists', struck the jury "because it successfully dares to go off the beaten track." De Roest wins an amount of 鈧 2.000, - that is free to spend.
In the winning thesis, four Dutch hip hop artists are studied to examine the performance of represent: repeatedly telling about life on the streets and in the neighborhood. According to De Roest, the performance of represent aims to obtain authenticity and authority and, to a lesser extent, to promote emancipation of the neighborhood and to express feelings of local resistance.
The jury praises De Roest's intelligent approach, pleasant writing style and self-consciously critical research attitude. The carefulness of her argumentation and the interdisciplinary character of her thesis also greatly impressed the members of the jury. From the jury report: "By analyzing texts, interviews and performances by rap artists Hef, Broederliefde, Ares and Killer Kamal on how they express the way they view the Netherlands and the rest of the world, Aafje convincingly argues that globalizing hip-hop trends from the US maintain a very local yet credible character when used in the Dutch context.鈥
De Roest's thesis stood out because it is daring, but also successfully off the beaten track.
De Roest was pleasantly surprised when she heard she had won the award. "I am very grateful and hope to continue my research on Dutch hip hop in the future."
Honorable mentions
In addition to the main prize, two honorable mentions were awarded, each with a value of 鈧 500 . The first honorable mention is for the thesis of Iris Bouman (24), alumna of the research master Musicology. In her thesis she investigates the relationship between operetta and national-socialist ideology in Berlin between 1934 and 1937. The jury is enthusiastic about the fact that Bouman nuances earlier findings of historians, who all too easily concluded that the studied operettas were propagandistic in nature.
Peter Nieuwenhuizen (55), alumnus of the part-time master Dutch language and culture, received the second honorable mention. He wrote a thesis about the distribution dynamics of sixteenth-century anonymous Dutch texts by printers in Antwerp. According to the jury, his research has "major repercussions for literary, historical and book-scientific research into this period."
Vliegenthart Thesis Award
The Vliegenthart Thesis Award was instituted to mark Prof Dr Hans Vliegentharts retirement as chairman of the Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 Fund in 2004. The idea was and is to show a talented student to the world outside and especially the alumni community. The prize consists of 鈧2.000,- and is awarded in turn in the disciplines of the Humanities, Life Sciences, Science and Social and Behavourial Sciences. This year, it is the turn of the Humanities.
Jury
The submitted theses are assessed by a jury of variable composition, but under the permanent chairmanship of Prof. Dr. J.F.G. Vliegenthart (Professor emeritus of Chemistry). The jury of this edition: Dr Rob Meens (Department of History and Art History), Prof. Marjo van Koppen (Department of Languages, Literature and Communication), Dr Imar de Vries (Department of Media and Culture Studies) and Prof. Teun Tieleman (Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies).