In early modern society the idea that happiness was to be found in the safe haven of family life became prominent. Modesty, humility, and domesticity became key concepts of the Dutch national identity. Over time the ideals of domesticity and the pursuit of happiness in close family circle became evident values in western culture. These values of stability interact with a world that is constantly changing and moving. Domesticity took on different shapes in different settings, which became abundantly clear in colonial and postcolonial literature and film in the 20th century. Starting from the 18th-century ideal of Dutch domesticity, we will discuss the ongoing conversation between domesticity and the outside world, and the different shapes it takes on, through time, and in different traditions. We will read novels and view films from a wide range of national traditions, in which domesticity (or the lack thereof) is a central theme.