Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender

Examine the history, cultural norms, and political structures that help shape attitudes toward sexuality and gender from Dutch and international perspectives.

Here is a video taken by Moises Villada, Program Coordinator of University of Illinois at Chicago Gender and Sexuality Center when he visited our Netherlands program.

Pragmatic, socially liberal Netherlands is known for tolerance and openness, but issues of gender and sexuality are now a visible fault line among different communities in this increasingly multicultural society.

Internationally, the Netherlands promotes gender as a crucial aspect of economic and social development, and the country provides material support to women’s as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) organizations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Based in Amsterdam, this program explores the intersections of Dutch and international perspectives related to sexuality and gender. Units of study include queer, LGBT, and feminist movements; migration, gender, and sexuality; sex education; same-sex marriage rights; sex work; and transgender issues.

Students participate in a community volunteer experience with a Dutch or international community organization. A two-week excursion to Morocco provides additional international perspectives on program themes.

Browse this program's Independent Study Projects/Undergraduate Research

Congratulations to SIT Netherlands alumna Julia Ellis-Kahana! Julia is the newest recipient of the Alice Rowan Swanson Fellowship, which returns SIT alumni to the country where they studied abroad to advance human rights. Read more about her project.

SIT Netherlands sponsors successful Forum on Sexuality and Development, giving students the chance to network, interview, and introduce high-level speakers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HIVOS, Mama Cash, and PSI Europe. Participants discussed how sexuality is related to the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, global poverty reduction, and international development.

Credits: 16

Duration: 15 weeks

Program Base: Amsterdam

Language Study: Dutch

Prerequisites: Previous college-level coursework or other preparation in sexuality and/or gender studies, as assessed by SIT. Read more...