Netherlands American Studies Association

Who are we?

The Netherlands American Studies Association (NASA) is a network of scholars, researchers and students interested in the history, culture, and politics of the United States. We aim to promote the interdisciplinary study of the United States in the Netherlands by linking those active in the field through publications, (online) discussion, seminars, and conferences.

Founded in 1977, NASA is built on the cooperation of the main American Studies departments at the universities of Amsterdam, Groningen, Leiden, and Nijmegen, as well as the Roosevelt Institute for American Studies in Middelburg. The RIAS is a research and conference center on U.S. history and European-American relations, which serves as the administrative center of NASA and publishes the NASA newsletter twice a year.

The association crosses many disciplinary boundaries. NASA members are active in a range of departments, and the Association looks to extend its linkages with others in History, Literature, Sociology, Political Science, Art History, Geography, Law, Communication Studies, Women’s Studies, Popular Culture Studies, and Film Studies.

NASA is active in organizing regular conferences and seminars to bring its membership together throughout the year. Every spring a one-day national conference is held to bring together American Studies undergraduate and graduate students and faculty: The American Studies Day, or Amerikanistendag. These are hosted, in rotation, by one of the four American Studies programs at the universities of Amsterdam, Groningen, Leiden, and Nijmegen.