2025 Call for Papers

Conference Theme: Post-WWII Dutch Immigration to North America

The migration of the Dutch to North America has continued, in smaller and greater numbers, from the beginning of the 17th century to today. In each era, particular conditions have shaped the lived experience of leaving, settling, and making one’s way. The immigration after World War II is a special period of that longer history. It comprises, roughly, the twenty-five years after the end of WWII and is the most recent and last significant Dutch immigration wave to North America. Because this period is still part of the living memories of immigrants and their children, we want to pay attention at the conference both to memoirs from immigrants and their families about their crossing, changing life, and experiences, as well as to the results of more scholarly topical research about the Dutch American/Canadian history of this period.

Possible topics for memoirs and research cover the entire sweep of immigrant life and world. Memoirs would bring many of these topics together while research would drill down on specific subjects. They include but are not limited to: adaptation and assimilation; retention and decline of ethnic markers; war brides; the trip across; push factors in the Netherlands; immigrant leaders; new settlements and neighborhoods; reception of new immigrants by established Dutch American/Canadian communities; churches as receiving communities for immigrants; new post-WWII immigrant churches; Dutch American and Canadian organizations and institutions; the United States vs. Canada as destinations; notable Dutch Americans and Canadians from this era; economic conditions and opportunities for immigrants; language use and retention; intermarriage; differences from earlier immigration phases; perceptions of Dutch immigrants by majority communities; Dutch immigrants’ geographical origins.

Paper proposals on other topics about the Dutch in North America not related to the conference theme will also be considered. The format for the presentation of immigrant memoirs is flexible and may include short (10 min.) stories with Q&A; 20 min. presentations with a 10 min. Q&A; a panel of or individual presenters answering prearranged questions from a moderator.
The more academic presentations will fill 30-min. slots (20-min. presentation + 10 min. for Q&A).
Please submit abstracts of no more than 250 words and a brief CV to local organizer, Henk Aay at henk.aay@gmail.com by February 1, 2025. These will be evaluated by a subcommittee of the AADAS board.