(Un)Revised research question
Not to get a big head or anything, but I like my research questions. I realize that they need to be whittled down to a more precise form, and that I would be remiss to attempt to cover all of the questions, but I do not want to discount anything yet. Even after some deliberation and internet-based research, I am still not sure what to cut out.
I read a blog post written by a Dutch social scientist which succinctly highlights the political environment of the Netherlands (link posted below). While the explanation certainly helps me get a better idea of how the Dutch political system operates, I am still unsure of why the policymakers are considered both individually and en masse the best in the business. I do not know what in their diets and in their cultures make them more pragmatic or intrepid to the well-being of their constituents, but something must be there. I can probably read all the literature a Google search will yield without knowing why the Dutch operate like they do.
And that is precisely why I like my research questions. My topic, whichever one I end up picking, will be impossible to fully answer with a couple clicks on Wikipedia. I will thus be forced to deeply investigate while in Amsterdam, which is what I figure is the intent of this whole trip.
All this being said, I am content to leave my questions unrevised until I have a chance to talk to the Dutch and walk (or bike) a mile in their shoes. My partners, Derek and Sabra, have very similar research questions and therefore our topics should coalesce smoothly as our projects progress no matter which question I pursue. For your reference, here are the questions:
- Are the conditions of immigrant lifestyles in Amsterdam substantially different than those of other major European cities? If so, what factors contribute to the better or worse conditions, and what is the government’s involvement? Finally, if conditions are better in Amsterdam (as I expect), what policies or implementing techniques are transferrable to the U.S. and other European states?
- Does a maligned history with religious intolerance hamper immigrants’ capability and desire to integrate into their new society? Basically, is the old Christian-Muslim/West-East feud the main factor in Europe’s immigration issues? And what, then, do government and cultural leaders do to affect theological stigmas and prejudices?
- Why are the Dutch known to be the best negotiators and policymakers? What in their history bred a nation of levelheaded wordsmiths and champions of rhetoric? Is there something in the cakes at the coffee shops? (Don’t answer that.) And are there lessons that we American students can take from the Dutch in our pursuit to form a more perfect union?
*Blog on Dutch politics: http://www.quirksmode.org/politics/
