Van wetenschappelijke theorie tot maatschappelijk oproer: Hoe een alternatief scheppingsverhaal een beschavingsbotsing binnen negentiende -eeuws Nederland veroorzaakte.

Abstract

In the nineteenth century an alternative story of creation caused tumult in West-Europe. The theory of Darwin also known as the evolutiontheory was introduced in 1859 in the Netherlands. Dutch historians examined the reception of the theory among the Dutch elite: scientist and Protestant ministers. This thesis aims on a better understanding of the reception and view of the theory by the citizens of the middle classes .This thesis uses Dutch newspapers from the nineteenth century to research the opinion of the citizens on Darwins theory. The newspapers are selected on the old Dutch frase for natural selection: natuurkeus. The first chapter discusses the introduction of the theory of Darwin in an already existing discourse of evolution. The next chapter treats the introduction and responses of theory of the social-political groups in the Netherlands that played an important role in the reception. The last chapters examines 144 selected newspaper reports that divided in reports and advertisements. The results of the rearch is showing a variation of responses from the Dutch catholics, colonials and scientist. And sent in letters that points on a opinion of citizins that deviate of the Dutch elite. This thesis only scratches the surface of the newspaper as historical source, but results are also pointing that the newspaper reports are a fruitful source for historical research of a richer contextualisation of the reception of Charles Darwin.