Made in Holland: Global Dutch Enterprises from VOC to Shell

In this course we will explore the role of multinational corporations in history. We will analyze the economic and social contribution of these big corporations to home and host countries, and compare them to the much larger number of small and medium-sized enterprises. . We will also look for the damage the multinational corporations may have done to the world, through their careless handling of natural resources and the environment, their contribution to inequality by their activities in the Global South, the exploitation of workers, or their cornering of markets driving up prices to the disadvantage of global consumers. These are well-known criticisms, of course, but to what extent are they valid and how can these huge and powerful organizations contribute to solving the ecological and social challenges we face today?

• knowledge and understanding of the historical context of the specialized topic;
• basic knowledge of the theoretical discourse around the course topic;
• knowledge of the latest scholarship: current historiographical issues;
• a skills set enabling them to think, act and communicate at an academic level and in line with academic standards of conduct ('academic integrity').
• analyze literature in relation to a research question; draw conclusions on the basis of previous arguments and present the results of this research in writing at an academic level;
• give and receive feedback (peer review) on parts of papers.

• Items selection of business history articles (Business History, Business History Review en Enterprise & Society)