ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aspires to be a history of the Netherlands in the twentieth century — one of many histories, some written, some not. Its choice to focus only on Dutch women's writing, though feminist-inspired, intends to make available the waitings of Dutch women and to understand a series of dynamics. Between women writers and high culture, between women writers and culture and society at large, as well as the dynamic among women who use their creativity to engage with the public sphere. The book demands two kinds of introduction: one which reflects on the nature of the project it undertakes, the other which sets the scene for a discussion of women writers in the Netherlands. It argues that it is only in the literary sphere that women's experiences and desires were given public expression.
