The Dutch historical narrative on slavery and slave trade is part of a debate in which ignorance tends to be painted as the source of contemporary disputes. This refers to the debate around racial...Show moreThe Dutch historical narrative on slavery and slave trade is part of a debate in which ignorance tends to be painted as the source of contemporary disputes. This refers to the debate around racial inequality that arose in early 2020 in which racism was claimed to be institutionalized. With slavery being an obvious example in history that shows how racism took on a structural and institutionalized form, it is essential to critically analyze how the narrative on the inhumane and degrading treatment of black Africans is told. In this thesis, two senior year havo-level secondary school history textbooks, Feniks and Geschiedeniswerkplaats, will be analyzed using a Critical Discourse Analysis. The storyline on the slavery period will be assessed critically, focusing on the selection of narratives and phrasing. The results show the presence of the Color-blind discourse, in which storylines take on a passive voice, and Racially essentialist discourse, where the selection of black Africans is biologically justified. Both textbooks lack a description on the wider social opinion towards the black community and therefore fail to address these racist attitudes.Show less
This Thesis offers a close look at abolitionist white women and the activism they practiced despite the limitations they faced because of their gender. It also studies the prejudices and outright...Show moreThis Thesis offers a close look at abolitionist white women and the activism they practiced despite the limitations they faced because of their gender. It also studies the prejudices and outright racism within the texts these women wrote, which was often informed by their own limitations. It offers an insight on both the complications of intersectionality, and of its necessity when abolitionist texts written by women are judged.Show less
This dissertation considers Scotland's response to the 2007 bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, in the context of memory and museum studies. It considers to what degree...Show moreThis dissertation considers Scotland's response to the 2007 bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, in the context of memory and museum studies. It considers to what degree Scotland's response was aligned to an agenda of social justice - and how Scotland is slowly 'waking up' to its slavery past during a time of revived Scottish nationalism.Show less
Papuans, a designation to inhabitants of New Guinea, show up numerous time throughout history as slaves. This lead to the designation of New Guinea as 'victim societies'. But what does that mean?...Show morePapuans, a designation to inhabitants of New Guinea, show up numerous time throughout history as slaves. This lead to the designation of New Guinea as 'victim societies'. But what does that mean? And how did slavery contribute to the experience of living in New Guinea? In this thesis I answer these questions by looking at the historical pattern that enabled Papuan enslavement,looking at the societies with a history of entanglement with slavery and furthermore noting the strategies Papuans developed to deal with the historical pattern affecting them.Show less
This paper offers an in-depth study into slaves using poison as a form of resistance in antebellum Virginia. Although much attention has been given to sensational and bloody slave resistance such...Show moreThis paper offers an in-depth study into slaves using poison as a form of resistance in antebellum Virginia. Although much attention has been given to sensational and bloody slave resistance such as Nat Turner’s Rebellion and more recent scholarship has focused on “everyday resistance,” this paper attempts to bridge the gap between the two as poisoning is simultaneously violent yet hidden. While previous scholars have given some study to eighteenth-century poisoning, the nineteenth century is perhaps of more interest as advances in forensics and the rise of paternalism created an environment vastly different from, and in many ways more conducive to, poisoning than that found in the previous century. To try to gain a more complete understanding of poison practices this paper presents cases that involve slaves of different genders, occupations, and ages. Contrary to some historians, this paper presents poisoning in the context of its practicality and is critical of the view of poison being spiritually tied to Africa; as such, this paper explores the many varieties of poisons slaves utilized. Using newspaper articles and other primary sources, this paper dissects the poisoning practices of slaves as well as the white reactions to it.Show less
This thesis argues that the Wilberforce Museum assumes a similar role as William Wilberforce in the opposition of slavery in the representation of slavery and abolition and the opposition of...Show moreThis thesis argues that the Wilberforce Museum assumes a similar role as William Wilberforce in the opposition of slavery in the representation of slavery and abolition and the opposition of contemporary slavery.Show less