Abstract

The phenomenon of 'pillarisation' (the vertical division of society along ideological, religieus and philosophical lines which has long typified the structure of Dutch and Flemish society) has been a favourite topic of Flemish and Dutch sociologists for the last 30 years, as has its gradual dismantling, or 'depillarisation'. However, there has always been something of a shortage of empirical data. This paper discusses the main findings of a replication study of the local 'pillar' structures in the Flemish municipality of Kontich. Based on mutually overlapping leaderships of all social organisations in Kontich, the study examines to what extent there is still evidence of pillarisation at mesolevel and of ideologically-based links between organisational networks and political parties. In 1985 a study carried out in the same municipality confirmed that this was indeed the case: almost 80% of organisations could be placed in the Christian-Democratic, socialist or liberal (conservative) network. 12 years later, the number of overlapping leaderships or people holding dual functions in both social organisations and political parties has fallen sharply. Social network analysis is used to show that the pillarised networks are becoming smaller or less close-knit. At present this depillarisation process is most manifest in the periphery of the networks, and the basic pillarisation structure remains intact. Administrative contacts between different 'pillars' remain the exception rather than the rule, and there is no real cooperation over and above the pillarised structures. Further research in other municipalities could show whether this case of partial depillarisation at local level can be confirmed on a broader scale.

How to Cite:

Van Aelst, P. & Walgrave, S., (1998) “Voorbij de verzuiling?: Kontich twaalf jaar later: een replicatie-onderzoek naar organisatienetwerken en politieke partijen”, Tijdschrift voor Sociologie 19(1), 55–87. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sociologos.86437