Argumentation

Since 2024, third-year students of the BA Dutch Language and Culture have been tackling different case studies on behalf of a societal organisation in their “Argumentation” course. They map out all the arguments surrounding a social issue in a holistic manner. As a final product, the students not only deliver a report, but also a physical product that presents the arguments in a playful and clear manner. These products can be used, for example, as conversation starters on the chosen topic.

The first round: two clients

In 2023, the year this project started, the students did this project in collaboration with two different clients: the Municipality of Groningen and the Wadden Sea World Heritage Centre. For the World Heritage Centre, the students examined the question of whether the Wadden Sea still deserves its World Heritage status, given the many financial activities in the Wadden area. In addition, the students explored the pros and cons of ending shrimp fishing in the Wadden Sea. Together with the Municipality of Groningen, students investigated how residents viewed the development of the new Stadshavens residential area and examined the various arguments surrounding the forced relocation of current residents in that area.

Citizen participation and experts by experience

In 2024, we collaborated with PuurIdee, a consultancy firm active in the Northern Netherlands. They provided two propositions based on cases from their own field of work: “Citizen participation is a good way to reach decisions” and “Municipalities should deploy experts by experience”. Based on these two propositions, the students delved into the subject matter together with PuurIdee, and came up with a wide range of results, from extensive, expandable scale models to a large cast-iron scale.

Narratives we live by

In the spring, an “extra” course in Argumentation was offered, not as part of the BA Dutch Language and Culture programme, but as part of the university-wide minor Culture and Cognition. Students from a wide range of disciplines tackled the issues, this time on behalf of the Groningen Arts Council, the Municipality of Groningen and the Province of Groningen. They examined the propositions “We must invest in cultural institutions and artists, especially in uncertain (economic/geopolitical) circumstances” and 'Institutions, organisations and governments should be obliged to collaborate with cultural institutions or artists. ' Among other things, students created a card game, a game inspired by Jenga and an evidence board. Once again, students came up with all kinds of creative expressions.

Want to collaborate?

Does your organisation have questions that our students could explore in the Argumentation course? Or do you have questions about previous collaborations? Please contact us! You can do so by sending an email to tawi rug.nl.