Netherlands – Social Justice, Undergraduate | Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences

Netherlands – Social Justice, Undergraduate

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Netherlands Social Justice: Health and Violence Prevention (SASS 325)

3 credits

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Join the Mandel School in Amsterdam and enhance your understanding of Dutch social policies and practices for social justice systems. Compare the United States' and the Netherlands' policies and practices by engaging with experts on prostitution, drug use, substance abuse, child welfare, mental health, violence prevention, criminal justice, homelessness and euthanasia.

Spend the week engaging in guided tours of neighborhoods and social institutions, such as hospitals, clinics, user rooms and prisons. Enhance your understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of social policies and human services in both the United States and the Netherlands, and gain direct access to both agency personnel and clients for an understanding and exposure that cannot be derived from text books.

[Studying abroad in Amsterdam], allowed me to gain new insight on American social welfare practices. You always hear about the Netherlands being very different, but seeing it firsthand and learning from real citizens was a phenomenal experience. I’m so grateful to have been able to go.
—Ben Ratner, computer science undergraduate, student, Netherlands Spring Break 2016

See Program Dates and Fees

For more information, please contact Dr. David B. Miller.

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Planned Site Visits (subject to change)

Vrije Universiteit (Free University): Attend lectures from experts on Dutch tolerance, euthanasia, substance use and abuse, and sex work (prostitution).

Academic Medical Center: Tour the largest tertiary care hospital in the country, and meet with the medical director of the hospital to discuss how differently they manage their healthcare system than we do in the U.S.

Dampkring Coffee Shop: Converse with a local expert about the history of coffee shops in Amsterdam and see the products they sell.

Rotterdam: Visit a user room and housing program where people with co-occurring disorders can find access to a range of services, including employment and social services, in order to create a stable living environment for their recovery.

Horizon: Visit a residential treatment center for severely physically and emotionally abused children ages 8 to 12.

Red Light District: Led by a Dutch expert, take a guided tour through one of Amsterdam’s most famous and oldest neighborhoods, rich in Dutch culture and history.

Hoogvliet Prison: Tour a penitentiary institution, which includes an open prison, a jail and a facility for habitual offenders. The prison was specifically meant for addicted offenders when it first opened in 2002.