After years of working as a goldsmith, Hofland decided to choose a totally different direction: she became a teacher in entrepreneurship. The crafts, the manual work and the training to be a craftsman appealed to her. But what is the value of the crafts? After reading the research of prof. Arjo Klamer about the creative craft in the Netherlands, Hofland decided to follow the master Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship at the Erasmus University to investigate this question.
The crafts have received more attention since several years, also in the academic field. A locally brewed beer, unique handmade jewelry: the craftsman (or woman) is increasingly appreciated. However, research shows that in countries such as Germany and Italy the craft is more appreciated than in the Netherlands. This has consequences for the quality of the crafts, craft education and preservation of cultural heritage. From this perspective, Marleen Hofland-Mol has written a research proposal for a comparative study in the Netherlands and Germany with the title “For what is worth – the value of arts and crafts in the Netherlands”. The NWO has awarded her the Promotional Grant for Teachers. This grant enables Hofland to conduct research into the creative craft as an external PhD candidate for the next five years. The research is conducted under the supervision of prof. Arjo Klamer and dr. Anna Mignosa of the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication.
- More information
More information about grants for teachers and the honored research proposals: https://www.nwo.nl/en/news-and-events/news/2019/06/26-teachers-receive-doctoral-grant.html