ABSTRACT
The differences between the more peripheral rural communities on Goeree-Overflakkee and the urbanised rural communities in Katwijk, together with the diversity of the local communities within these amalgamated municipalities, were helpful in making useful comparisons of the different use of local identities during and after municipal amalgamations. This chapter discusses some general key characteristics of Katwijk and Goeree-Overflakkee and provides subsequently an overview of the different dominant spatial identity discourses in these two municipalities based on studying these local sources. The present municipality of Katwijk was formed in 2006 through an amalgamation of the old municipality of Katwijk, which consisted of the two separate and distinct villages of Katwijk aan Zee and Katwijk aan de Rijn, the municipality of Rijnsburg and the municipality of Valkenburg. The identity discourse which positions Katwijk in its regional context focuses on protecting its autonomy by selectively cooperating with many different groups of municipalities.
