Johan Koppenol

Prof. Johan Koppenol is a Full Professor of Older Dutch Literature at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. He also holds teaching roles at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and Amsterdam University College (AUC). His academic journey began at Leiden University, where he earned his PhD cum laude in 1998 after interning at the University of Groningen. His research focuses on the Rhetoricians movement, Dutch Golden Age literature, and literary figures like Jacob Cats and Joost van den Vondel.

• Education: Dutch Language and Literature (Leiden University), PhD in 1998 (cum laude)
• Positions: Full Professor at VU since 2000, concurrent chair at UvA (2002–2007)

His research explores the intersection of poetics, literary renaissance, and socio-political contexts of 16th–17th century Dutch literature. Recent work includes a biography of Jacob Cats and co-editing P.C. Hooft’s poetry. Teaching specialties include literary history, book history, and visual culture in literature. He actively participates in academic networks like the Werkgroep De Zeventiende Eeuw and organizes conferences on early modern Dutch culture.

Over 80 research outputs span articles, book chapters, and edited volumes. His work bridges textual analysis with cultural and historical contexts, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to Dutch literary heritage.