Scheveningen: from a fishing village to the seaside resort

Abstract

This history thesis aims to answer the question of how the development of modern tourism has affected the identity of Scheveningen at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The study is based on the analysis of predefined components of the identity of a place, based on research in the field of sociology, modern tourism and identity, as well as archival materials on Scheveningen. These sources include photo albums, illustrations, texts, newspapers and maps.

Based on the theories and definitions from the field of sociology and environmental psychology, in particular on the triadic interpretation based on J.G. Bennet’s systematics in the context of place, place identity and phenomenology by David Seamon (2012), the components of place identity are determined at the first place. Thus, the analysis of the Scheveningen identity is focused on three main areas, defined in the main theoretical and methodological axis of the thesis. Firstly, the identity of Scheveningen is explored at the level of community life. This section covers topics such as notion of community, the clash of local customs and European lifestyle, as well as focal points of social interactions. Secondly, the thesis explores the physical environment of Scheveningen. The issues of both the urban layout and transitions in the architecture are presented. At the end, the aspect of hidden meanings and contexts in Scheveningen environment, considered as a factor between the physical and social layers, is thoroughly examined.

The conclusion of the thesis explains exactly what changes took place on the three main levels of the Scheveningen identity, caused by the development of modern toursim at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.