This paper examines contemporary racism in the Netherlands, and in particular the Dutch denial of racism, by looking at the debate surrounding the controversial statues of Jan Pieterszoon Coen and...Show moreThis paper examines contemporary racism in the Netherlands, and in particular the Dutch denial of racism, by looking at the debate surrounding the controversial statues of Jan Pieterszoon Coen and Joannes van Heutsz. By applying critical discourse analysis in the examination of newspaper articles from the moment that the statues were placed to the contemporary debate and their perceived solutions, this paper illustrates how the manner through which the Netherlands commemorates its colonial past is related to the contemporary denial of racism. By doing so, I will argue that racism in the Netherlands, as well as the statue debate, are both the result of a reconstructed past that came with the establishment of the Dutch nation-state and a distinct national identity. Illustrating how the statue debate reflects, but also contributes to, understanding the general place of racism and the habit of denial in the Netherlands.Show less
Concerning transitional justice, the turn towards advocating for localized action and gendered analysis has engendered a focus on female agency. In documentary film studies, a similar pattern...Show moreConcerning transitional justice, the turn towards advocating for localized action and gendered analysis has engendered a focus on female agency. In documentary film studies, a similar pattern emerges: over time, scholars have started to question prevailing representations of women, and to celebrate well-rounded, agentive representations. This thesis, which analyzes representations of female agency and victimhood in documentaries concerning sexual violence during the Yugoslav Wars, utilizes an interdisciplinary approach which draws from both of these fields. It incorporates the aesthetic analytical tools provided by documentary film scholars to analyze Sexual Violence and the Triumph of Justice (2012) and Mission Rape - a Tool of War (2014), while keeping as its main focus the gendered agency framework created by Björkdahl and Mannergren Selimović. Thus, it marries the two disciplines to provide a thorough understanding of prominent issues in transitional justice. This concerns both how transitional justice is practiced and how this practice is portrayed to the public by challengers and proponents of the prominent methods in the transitional justice space. I hope to contribute to knowledge in both fields, and to demonstrate how well-rounded and agentive representations of women’s agency can challenge the traditional narrative of passivity and victimization of women in conflict-zones.Show less
One may think the intolerance towards Queer identities in Indonesia is due to the Islamic beliefs of the country. This understanding is only the surface of the history of Indonesia and Indonesian...Show moreOne may think the intolerance towards Queer identities in Indonesia is due to the Islamic beliefs of the country. This understanding is only the surface of the history of Indonesia and Indonesian identity. Indonesia being a former colony of the Netherlands for about 350 years, there has to be a lot more reasons about the intolerance towards Queer identities below the surface that has got to do with Dutch colonialism. With the existence of several queer practices and identities in Indonesia that goes beyond the understanding of the “Global Gays”, this thesis will discuss as to how the Dutch colonial regime could have shifted the understanding of queerness, by using the cases of the Lengger Dance, and the five genders of the Bugis people. These identities and practices still exist in Indonesia today, however they are not tolerated or accepted by contemporary society. Whereas on the other hand, the Netherlands are very accepting towards queer identities and practices. Using a queer and post-colonial perspective, laws, regulations, and cultural values of the Dutch will be looked into and will be compared with Indonesia. Even though the Dutch are accepting towards queer identities in contemporary times, I will try to see whether there are any influences or impact by the Dutch towards the shift towards intolerance in contemporary Indonesia.Show less
