Between 1639 and 1854 was the Netherlands the only European country allowed to trade with Japan. After 1854, when Commodore Perry uses gunboat diplomacy to open diplomatic contact with Japan, the...Show moreBetween 1639 and 1854 was the Netherlands the only European country allowed to trade with Japan. After 1854, when Commodore Perry uses gunboat diplomacy to open diplomatic contact with Japan, the unique position of the Netherlands had changed drastically. Nonetheless, the Dutch government was not eager to give up its monopoly on Japan that easily. As a result, after Japan opened, the Dutch government can be observed undertaking many projects in Japan to convince the Japanese that unique relations with the Dutch were still in the Japanese interest. Especially in Nagasaki, where the Dutch had a trading post for since the 17th century, the Dutch undertook many projects and this started to shape the city going forward. This thesis examines how Dutch influence shaped three prominent sectors in Nagasaki throughout the nineteenth century; the rising military & industrial sectors and the declining trade sector in Nagasaki. The developments in these sectors are framed within wider Japanese history of that era and also the decline of Dutch influence in the nineteenth century. The conclusion of this thesis is that the Dutch still fulfilled a prominent position within Japanese, and then especially Nagasaki, after the years of the opening in 1854. The Dutch worked hard to introduce Japan with new military and industrial knowledge, while simulataneously aiming to include within a new trade network. The Dutch supplied new materials, worked as teacher and also worked as intermediaries with other Western nations. Eventually the Dutch could not keep up with other Western nations and by the 1870s most Dutch experts had disappeared from Japan. Nonetheless, by this time their influence had played a major role in Nagasaki. The basis had been laid for the rise of many factories in the city, the city had become a centre for military knowledge and trade had dwindled from the city. Byt the time the last of the Dutch experts left, Nagasaki had been set on a course to become a military-industrial complex, which would play an important part in the next century.Show less
Kort voor de Japanse inval in Nederlands-Indië (1942) werd een groep van 146 geïnterneerde Indische NSB'ers, de onverzoenlijken, naar Suriname verscheept. Meer dan een jaar na het einde van de...Show moreKort voor de Japanse inval in Nederlands-Indië (1942) werd een groep van 146 geïnterneerde Indische NSB'ers, de onverzoenlijken, naar Suriname verscheept. Meer dan een jaar na het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog werden zij vervolgens naar Nederland gebracht waar zij probeerden gerehabiliteerd te worden. In deze scriptie is getracht de beleidslijn ten aanzien van deze groep - de Surinamegroep - te reconstrueren.Show less
The United Nations did not deploy a peacekeeping mission in Africa for a quarter of a century following its contentious intervention in the Congo in the early 1960s. Due to this lack of military...Show moreThe United Nations did not deploy a peacekeeping mission in Africa for a quarter of a century following its contentious intervention in the Congo in the early 1960s. Due to this lack of military intervention, much of the existing scholarship has overlooked the organisation’s influence in the process of African decolonisation during the Cold War. In contrast, this thesis re-examines the relationship between United Nations intervention and African decolonisation through the case studies of the Congo and Southern Rhodesia between 1960 and 1980. During this period, the United Nations explored alternative means of diplomatic and economic intervention in Africa, examined in this thesis through the organisation’s relationship with the white minority government of Southern Rhodesia. This was not a period of non-intervention, but rather a time of complex reconfiguration for the organisation concerning its future role within the process of African decolonisation.Show less
This thesis focused on the question of how it had been possible for Europeans to become ‘white rajas’ in eastern Indonesian contexts. In order to answer this question, I have conducted a...Show moreThis thesis focused on the question of how it had been possible for Europeans to become ‘white rajas’ in eastern Indonesian contexts. In order to answer this question, I have conducted a microhistorical study on the ‘social life’ of the ‘successful’ missionary Ernst Steller, who had been working on the island of Sangihe Besar. Ernst Steller eventually managed to acquire significant social status in local society, an extraordinary large following, access to a large free labour force, a large plantation, and eventually the ability to dominate local chiefly politics. In order to explain Ernst Steller’s political, social and economic rise, I have utilized Tony Ballantyne’s concept of ‘imperial entanglement’, which positions the missionary as a dependent social actor within local society. As Ernst Steller had been largely dependent on local elites, he became a part of local society, and had to adapt to local culture and institutions. Ernst Steller actively participated in the competitive and ritualistic politics of Sangihe Besar – in the process adapting and manipulating local cultural conceptions and institutions in order to achieve his own goals. Due to his connections to the Netherlands and the Dutch colonial state, Ernst Steller eventually managed to gain an edge over the local elites. Ultimately, Ernst Steller became one of the dominant figures in the Sangirese political arena, together with a small number of European actors who had used similar ways to acquire their political, social and economic positions. These ‘white rajas’ competed amongst each other, perpetuating the competitive and ritualistic political culture of Sangihe Besar. This thesis has demonstrated that 1) missionaries had – given the right political and social circumstances – been able to transform their dependent social positions into positions of political power, and 2) social mobility in Sangirese contexts greatly resembled processes of social mobility in both eastern Indonesian and Melanesian contexts.Show less
In 1746 the Dutch East India Company (VOC) launched an invasion of the Rameshvaram island located between Sri Lanka and the Indian mainland. This thesis combines new VOC archival material with...Show moreIn 1746 the Dutch East India Company (VOC) launched an invasion of the Rameshvaram island located between Sri Lanka and the Indian mainland. This thesis combines new VOC archival material with existing literature on the combatants to answer the question what the military conflict reveals about India's balance of power at the dawn of British Raj as well as to show the interesting relationship between the Company and the Setupatis of Ramnad.Show less
A study of the construction of national identity in colonial Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) through an in depth examination of advertising in the popular print magazine 'Illustrated Life Rhodesia'. The paper...Show moreA study of the construction of national identity in colonial Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) through an in depth examination of advertising in the popular print magazine 'Illustrated Life Rhodesia'. The paper conducts a brief survey of the early colonisation of the region, and attempts to connect observations made about the development of Rhodesian identity up to the UDI period with a semiotic analysis of media from during the UDI period. It hopes to contribute to our understanding of the construction of the identity among Rhodesia's white minority.Show less
In deze studie wordt, door middel van een vergelijking tussen de VOC-kolonie op Ceylon en de WIC-nederzetting in Brazilië, onderzocht welke invloed ziekte en het gezondheidsbeleid had op de...Show moreIn deze studie wordt, door middel van een vergelijking tussen de VOC-kolonie op Ceylon en de WIC-nederzetting in Brazilië, onderzocht welke invloed ziekte en het gezondheidsbeleid had op de ontwikkeling van beide compagnieën.Show less
The Portuguese decolonisation in Africa followed an exceptional path through the 1950s and 1960s. Portugal continued to reject decolonisation as other European powers’ colonies moved towards...Show moreThe Portuguese decolonisation in Africa followed an exceptional path through the 1950s and 1960s. Portugal continued to reject decolonisation as other European powers’ colonies moved towards independence. Due to its unique position, the decolonisation had a large international dimension, attracting much attention from not only many nation states but also both the UN (United Nations) and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This research will be concerned with the British media and how it portrayed the decolonisation of Mozambique, a Portuguese colony. The fact that Mozambique was the first state admitted to the British Commonwealth having never been part of the British Empire or under the control of any other member state indicates the connections that Britain has shared with Mozambique. Only one other state, Rwanda in 2009, has been afforded admittance. This research will highlight British interest in Mozambique and argue that this interest affected reporting in British newspapers concerning decolonisation in Mozambique.Show less
On the 25th of November 1945, shortly after the capitulation of Japan, the Dutch General W. Schilling wrote a memorandum to van Mook (the Luitenant Governor General of Indonesia) advising against...Show moreOn the 25th of November 1945, shortly after the capitulation of Japan, the Dutch General W. Schilling wrote a memorandum to van Mook (the Luitenant Governor General of Indonesia) advising against military operations in Indonesia. He had a far more pessimistic view of the situation in the (former) colony then his colleagues. This thesis explores the background of Schilling's advice and the reasons why his opinion was different from that of other officers.Show less
This article examines the position of the Dutch planters in Indonesia after the transfer of sovereignty in 1949 until this nationalisation of the Dutch businesses in 1958. It studies the political...Show moreThis article examines the position of the Dutch planters in Indonesia after the transfer of sovereignty in 1949 until this nationalisation of the Dutch businesses in 1958. It studies the political and economic position of these planters and the changes it had to go through after the transfer of sovereignty, in the light of the ongoing New Guinea conflict between the Netherlands and Indonesia. The study argues that the Dutch planters had trouble with adjusting to the new political and social situation, which was hardened by the political relationship between the former colonizer and colonized.Show less
This thesis explores slavery in Dutch Mauritius (1664-1710) through an analysis of the extent to which slave resistance in its myriad forms influenced the nature of the slave regime, society and...Show moreThis thesis explores slavery in Dutch Mauritius (1664-1710) through an analysis of the extent to which slave resistance in its myriad forms influenced the nature of the slave regime, society and colonial power. Its main objective is to achieve an understanding of how slavery operated in a marginal VOC outpost by exploring its social world; the various levels of social interactions between slaves, convicts, vrijburgers and company servants; the main characteristics of slave resistance; colonial fear and phobia of insurrections; and the intersections between slavery, law enforcement, and the community. It examines the dynamics of imperialism from below in the same way as Clare Anderson explores the life and work of South Asian convicts transported across networks of the British Empire in the Indian Ocean in the latter part of the 19th century. Despite being framed through concepts of slave resistance and power, the primary objective is to bring into focus the world of the slaves, their origins, the nature of their occupations and living conditions, their experiences and struggles, and their ways of organising, socialising, and dissentingShow less
Dit onderzoek geeft een beeld van de positie van Johannes de Laet binnen de contra-reformatorische factie van de gereformeerde kerk en de Kamer Amsterdam van de WIC, en de synergie tussen deze twee...Show moreDit onderzoek geeft een beeld van de positie van Johannes de Laet binnen de contra-reformatorische factie van de gereformeerde kerk en de Kamer Amsterdam van de WIC, en de synergie tussen deze twee functies. Hoewel volgens historici De Laets ‘religieuze’ jaren duurden tot en met de oprichting van de WIC, laat dit onderzoek zien dat in zijn ‘zakelijke’ jaren zijn geloof zich wel degelijk laat zien. Hoewel hij geen theologische boeken meer schrijft, is zijn religie wel degelijk te zien in zijn werk voor de WIC en in zijn boeken het Iaerlyck Verhael en de Nieuwe Wereldt.Show less
Decolonising Britain. To what extent did the activities of right-wing groups between 1960-1973 indicate a wider British inability to come to terms with the new post-colonial order?
Eighteenth-century colonial Suriname has been a plural society, divided by people’s race, status, religion and socioeconomic class. Similar to almost every other early modern state, Suriname did...Show moreEighteenth-century colonial Suriname has been a plural society, divided by people’s race, status, religion and socioeconomic class. Similar to almost every other early modern state, Suriname did not know any uniformly codified legal systems nor a constitution that enshrined the rights of its inhabitants. To the contrary, legislation was fragmented, hybrid and often arose impromptu. In addition, Suriname did not know any comprehensive criminal laws or procedure either. This thesis argues that, largely due to these legal lacunae, the colonial authorities could unabashedly treat different population groups on unequal legal and judicial footing. However, this thesis also stresses that several previously accepted assumptions with regard to colonial justice must be nuanced. It concludes that, despite the disparate and biased forms of treatment, colonial justice has been considerably more thorough than deemed before, even with regard to minority groups such as the enslaved and manumitted. There have been no signs that the Surinamese courts functioned as kangaroo courts; all suspects were offered a trial. In addition, verdicts of convicts did not come about arbitrarily but were rather based on jurisprudence. The authorities took into consideration the conclusiveness of the evidence and any aggravating or mitigating circumstances as well. As a result, punishments were much more varied than the merely horrendous corporal and capital punishments that have dominated historiography hitherto. Moreover, from the second half of the eighteenth century, several minority litigants started to search for justice on their own behalf. In the end, the colonial authorities did certainly not always adopt a one-dimensional stance in favour of white colonists at the expense of other population groups.Show less
Customary law in South Africa was transformed by its incorporation into the colonial and later Apartheid state. In this regard, the work of colonial administrators and scholars were important as...Show moreCustomary law in South Africa was transformed by its incorporation into the colonial and later Apartheid state. In this regard, the work of colonial administrators and scholars were important as their visions of idealised ‘tribal’ society and chiefly rule with despotic and patriarchal qualities were often largely reproduced in official state policy, and served to legitimate white minority rule. Literature on this subject has tended to either be situated within a national narrative, or largely focus on British policies of indirect rule. Tracing the career and thought of F.D. ‘Frits’ Holleman in the first half of the 20th Century, as he moved from judicial and scholarly appointments in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), to posts at Leiden University in the Netherlands and ultimately Stellenbosch University in South Africa, allows for a more explicitly global approach to the subject. It also demonstrates an insufficiently-acknowledged transfer of Dutch colonial expertise and experience from an established body of Indonesian adat law scholarship, originating at Leiden University, to an emerging field of customary law scholarship in the strongly Afrikaner Nationalist environment of Stellenbosch. While Holleman’s work on South African customary law was in some ways distinct from what he had worked on before, many of the concepts and characteristics he ascribed to African societies were straightforwardly transposed from his work on adat law, which stood within a tradition of scholarship that demonstrated both paternal/empathic concern for protecting non-Western law, and a strong essentialising impulse, leading to broad and enduring generalisations about supposedly ‘primitive’ societies. Beyond Holleman’s own trajectory, this study holds broader significance in the way it demonstrates the spread of theories of adat law far beyond their place of origin, and their influence on South African thinking about customary law. Moreover, the structural factors which allowed Holleman and his ideas to travel, suggest connections far deeper than a single individual; Holleman’s case has implications for how we think about the ongoing relationship between the Netherlands and South Africa, and indeed a triangular relationship between the Netherlands, Indonesia and South Africa. It may also offer a new lens with which to view the revival of traditionalist politics in both South Africa and Indonesia.Show less