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
Several scholars argue that the ‘order’ of the Vestal virgins (the Vestales) can be compared to the class of matronae, because they are presumed to wear the same clothing and their social role is...Show moreSeveral scholars argue that the ‘order’ of the Vestal virgins (the Vestales) can be compared to the class of matronae, because they are presumed to wear the same clothing and their social role is similar. In this study, the comparison between the two groups is critically examined and the exact differences and similarities are discussed. Investigating second and early third-century Vestal statues from the Atrium Vestae in the Roman Forum, comparing them to statues of matronae from the same periods but different contexts, I demonstrate that the Vestales have been perceived by the Romans as a separate group, clearly distinguishable from matronae. Differences in details such as hairstyle, standing position, facial expression, and the interaction with the viewer show that Vestales and matronae are not the same. Some Vestales are more matrona-like than others, and the expected characteristics of matronae perhaps need to be redefined. Furthermore, the four points of comparison in which the two classes of women differ are precisely those that can be used for display of self-representation. Thus, matronae are proven to be more concerned with this than Vestales. Moreover, it is argued that the scholars that made the comparison between the two female groups have been subjected to gender influence. In conclusion, the comparison an sich is perhaps less useful with respect to the fact that Vestales need to be examined in relation to their religious group, whereas matronae should be regarded as part of a secular social context.Show less
