A field analysis of cosmopolitan taste: lessons from the Netherlands

Most field analyses have overlooked the geographical range of cultural preferences and tastes, adopting an implicitly national focus. This paper takes advantage of detailed questions on preferences of Dutch respondents for music, films and books from various geographical areas to show that taste for cosmopolitan items is multi-faceted and associated with three major cultural divisions. Firstly, more cosmopolitan orientations are associated with wider cultural engagements, whereas exclusively Dutch references are more commonly found amongst those who are relatively culturally disengaged. Secondly, the more 'highbrow' Dutch are pre-disposed towards European forms of culture. American culture appeals to the younger and better educated who engage in popular cultural forms. Thirdly there is a distinction between those attracted to specifically non-Dutch, and Dutch culture. This field analysis of cosmopolitanism taste shows how it operates in several different registers which cannot helpfully be captured through a unitary approach.