This article investigates how Moravian missionaries influenced the abolitionist debate in the Netherlands through the imaging they put forth in their periodical Berigten uit de Heidenwereld. The...Show moreThis article investigates how Moravian missionaries influenced the abolitionist debate in the Netherlands through the imaging they put forth in their periodical Berigten uit de Heidenwereld. The author aims to go beyond the strict dichotomy between pro- and antislavery camps, by elaborating on the moderate character of Dutch abolitionism, which led to a large overlap between radical abolitionists, gradualists and obstructionists. By studying the archives of the Moravian Brotherhood, colonial administrators, and published documents, the article reveals that the missionaries contributed to the negative imaging of the slaves, and denied and demonized the slaves’ right to agency and autonomy, and therefore sustained the discourse that justified the continued curbing of physical freedom during the period of Staatstoezicht.Show less
This thesis tries to ascertain the image of Sovjet Russia during 1917-1924 by the Dutch press in the newspapers. This is done by analysing the travel-writings of Marcus van Blankenstein, who later...Show moreThis thesis tries to ascertain the image of Sovjet Russia during 1917-1924 by the Dutch press in the newspapers. This is done by analysing the travel-writings of Marcus van Blankenstein, who later published his experiences in the Nieuw Rotterdamsche Courant. His findings are contrasted with the reports of other journalists in other popular Dutch newspapers at the time. At that time the Dutch society was in a state of 'verzuiling' meaning the people that believed in certain ideologies seperated themselves from people that clung to other ideologies. This created a situation in which four columns coexisted, forming the Dutch society. Each column had it's own radiostation, newspaper and political party. By analysing the way Sovjet Russia was portrayed in the newspapers, this thesis tries to show how the different columns felt about the developments in Russia at that time. There was a great deal of uncertainty about the developments in Russia after the revolution, this thesis also shows the way in which this nescience affected the way Sovjet Russia was portrayed.Show less
