{"id":139903,"date":"2022-05-11T15:41:02","date_gmt":"2022-05-11T13:41:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=139903"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:16","slug":"even-the-left-elite-has-blind-spots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/05\/11\/even-the-left-elite-has-blind-spots\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The left elite has blind spots too\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The left elite has blind spots too, sociologist Koen van Eijck realised when he read De gevangenisjaren<\/em><\/a> by Erdal Balci. In his autobiographical novel, Balci describes how difficult it is to escape an oppressive Turkish community in the Netherlands, partly due to the indifferent attitude of the left elite.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Professor of Cultural Lifestyles Koen van Eijck saw the blind spots of his own left-wing elite by reading 'De gevangenisjaren'.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRonald van den Heerik<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Koen van Eijck read Wees onzichtbaar<\/em> by Murat Isik, Ik ga leven<\/em> by Lale G\u00fcl and De<\/em> gevangenisjaren<\/em> by Erdal Balci. This helped him understand what it\u2019s like to grow up as a Turkish child in an oppressive community in the Netherlands. De gevangenisjaren<\/em> had an impact on him due to the sharp criticism of the left elite, with which Van Eijck also identifies.<\/p>\n

Progressive and enlightened life<\/h2>

In Balci\u2019s autobiographical novel, he describes how, as a child, he was looking forward to moving to the Netherlands. He was determined to embrace a progressive and enlightened life. Reality proved different. The Turkish community in the Netherlands was a strong enforcer of conformity. Less than a year after arriving in the Netherlands, he was having lessons in the Koran, and he was praying more than ever before. Balci\u2019s life in the Netherlands moved backwards and he blames that on the Dutch left elite, among others.<\/p>\n

According to Balci, the Turkish people in the Netherlands are left to their own devices. He feels that the left elite uncritically regards them as an exotic gift, making it difficult for Turkish people to escape their foreigner compartmentalisation. \u201cThe left elite has blind spots too,\u201d says Koen van Eijck, \u201cbut when you are personally part of the left spectrum, you\u2019re not aware of that. If you support a multicultural society, that automatically means that you can\u2019t criticise Islam. The left elite looks away when aspects of Islam, as described by Balci, limits people\u2019s freedom to choose.\u201d<\/p>\n

The drummer in the band <\/h2>

For several years, Van Eijck was the drummer in a Turkish band with three Dutch members and three Turkish members. He auditioned for the band because of the multiple time signatures in Turkish music, out of interest and for his own musical development.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really recognised the multicultural compartmentalisation which our band couldn\u2019t escape. We would play on the side at a Turkish flea market, at PvdA demonstrations and Groenlinks meetups<\/em>. We never played too loudly and never for too long in places where Turkish acrobatics or theatre were equally enjoyed. So long as it was multicultural. That band was not a major attempt at emancipation for me,\u201d Van Eijck evaluates. \u201cIn fact, I hated the political context. I just wanted to play in a normal band. I left after a couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

\n\t\t

Reading behaviour:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Number of books a year: thirty<\/p>\n

Main motivation: curiosity<\/p>\n

Favourite genre: non-fiction<\/p>\n

Last book read: \u2018Een nameloze\u2019 by Charles Vergeer<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n

Sociologist by chance<\/h2>

Van Eijck studied Psychology and accidentally rolled into sociology. During an interview for his PhD research, he realised that it was about a position in sociology. \u201cThat was a surprise to me, which I tried not to show to the interviewer. So moving from Psychology to Sociology was actually an \u2018oops, sorry\u2019 moment!\u201d It proved a good move and he stayed with the sociologists.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a discipline, sociology is very careful about criticising the multicultural society. Researchers may highlight differences between ethnic groups, but the scientist ensures it doesn\u2019t become too normative.\u201d Although social scientists are often left wing, ultimately a sociologist must be willing to explore any subject, says Van Eijck.<\/p>\n

Spirituality<\/h2>

Although there may be one subject that Van Eijck is not willing to research: his fascination with spirituality. \u201cI\u2019ve sometimes thought about researching spirituality and art. But how do I make that measurable? And try to be taken seriously with such a subject. Let alone apply for funding.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, he just reads about it. He is currently reading the book Eindeloos bewustzijn<\/em> about near death experiences by Pim van Lommel. He also reads \u2018books that my colleagues would probably find slightly weird\u2019. \u201cBooks about very early Christendom, about the Christians who engaged with religion for mystical reasons and expert opinion. And books asking: what has happened to religion? De gevangenisjaren<\/em> is not a theoretical but an autobiographical example of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

\n\t\t

Koen van Eijck is Professor of Cultural Lifestyles. His research focuses on social inequality in culture participation, taste patterns and leisure activities. He recently studied whether music becomes more enjoyable the more you hear it. Van Eijck graduated in psychology in Nijmegen and did a PhD in sociology at the University of Tilburg.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t