From the beginning of the 18th century small groups of Chinese migrated to Southeast Asia. The Hakka from East Guangdong (China) migrated to West Borneo and founded kongsis, which were groups of...Show moreFrom the beginning of the 18th century small groups of Chinese migrated to Southeast Asia. The Hakka from East Guangdong (China) migrated to West Borneo and founded kongsis, which were groups of mining laborers who agreed to divide labor and financial responsibilities. The Hakka worked in gold mines, farms and trade. The kongsis had a high level of autonomy. Chinese autonomy started to decline in 1823, when several kongsis, like Lanfang, accepted Dutch rule and paid taxes to them. Migration from China ceased and it did not increase until the 1900s. In 1884, the last remaining kongsi federation, Lanfang, collapsed. Thus, the last institute of Chinese autonomy in WB ceased to exist. After a period of relative stability following the collapse of the last kongsi, between 1912 and 1942 a series of important politico-economic events came to shape the Chinese community of West Borneo in new ways. Between 1884 and 1912, the Chinese Districts remained autonomous, as the Dutch government did not formally proclaimed the territory as Dutch and the Dutch did little to intervene in Chinese economy and politics. From the end of the 19th century, the amount of Chinese who migrated to WB increased and the total Chinese population in the area became larger. Interestingly, the new gulf of immigration to West Borneo encompassed more women than during the migration movements of the previous century. The living conditions in China were bad, as there was a Civil War, political instability, the threat of Japanese imperialism threatened political coherence and stability. There was also a lack of land to farm – which obviously had dire economic repercussions. offered an opportunity for a better future. The thesis focuses on certain politcal-economic events, to show if there were any changes in the autonomy of Chinese in politics and economy, after the collapse of the last kongsi.Show less
The early twentieth century labour movement in colonial Java provided the stage where many battles between colonizer and colonized took place. In this thesis I argue that understanding the dynamics...Show moreThe early twentieth century labour movement in colonial Java provided the stage where many battles between colonizer and colonized took place. In this thesis I argue that understanding the dynamics of this particular part of colonial history requires an approach based on the concept of class. Using three case studies, the railway workers, the sugar workers and the pawnshop workers, I aim to show that class moved these workers to join the nascent labour movement and their organizations. My goal is to show that class is a useful concept in understanding colonial Indonesia.Show less
This master thesis contrasts the experiences of Indische migrants in the United States and the Netherlands. That is, by investigating the identity formation of Indische migrants in both countries,...Show moreThis master thesis contrasts the experiences of Indische migrants in the United States and the Netherlands. That is, by investigating the identity formation of Indische migrants in both countries, I show how different societal factors influence the formation of an Indische identity.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
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This thesis examines the ways in which the history of 1965-66 is remembered and represented in contemporary Indonesia, both in national public space and among a group of high school pupils in...Show moreThis thesis examines the ways in which the history of 1965-66 is remembered and represented in contemporary Indonesia, both in national public space and among a group of high school pupils in Yogyakarta. The history of 1965-66, a history of mass killings and imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of alleged communist Indonesians, has for a long time been silenced and mystified by anti-communist myth-making that was created under Suharto’s authoritarian rule. Despite the end of Suharto’s regime in 1998 and numerous attempts to counter the state propaganda, this master-narrative that labels victims as perpetrators deserving of their fate is still widely available in contemporary Indonesian state and society. This thesis examines how and why master- and counter-narratives of “1965” continue to exist and circulate in Indonesia today. By combining a focus on contestations of the past in public space with research into the perceptions of the younger generation in particular, it explores how the politics of memory work in everyday practice. A survey conducted among 170 high school pupils in Yogyakarta provides unique insight into the highly complex and problematic ways in which the history of 1965-66 is remembered by a group of young Indonesians today. Thereby, this thesis provides further insight into the lasting legacies of mass violence in post-authoritarian Indonesia.Show less
Between 1975-9 the Khmer Rouge led a genocidal regime in Cambodia, targeting minorities - including the Cham Muslim population - in particular. Using transcripts from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, this...Show moreBetween 1975-9 the Khmer Rouge led a genocidal regime in Cambodia, targeting minorities - including the Cham Muslim population - in particular. Using transcripts from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, this thesis argues that cultural arguments to explain gender-based violence only hold ground up to a certain point. Beyond this, it is more useful to view gender-based violence as a product of its genocidal conflict. This latter argument is made by comparing the Khmer Rouge period to East Timor and Islamic State.Show less
Bachelor thesis | South and Southeast Asian Studies (BA)
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This thesis studies the current dynamics between the Malaysian middle class(es) and the state in informing the concept of Malaysian citizenship. The middle classes are historically segregated...Show moreThis thesis studies the current dynamics between the Malaysian middle class(es) and the state in informing the concept of Malaysian citizenship. The middle classes are historically segregated throughout history along ethnic and religious lines, but recently there seems to be signs of a 'Malaysian middle class'. Are these middle class Malaysians the key to a truely 'Malaysian Malaysia'?Show less
