Having grown up in both the Netherlands and Southeast Asia, I was exposed to the lasting effects of colonialism from an early age. However, it was not until my time as a bachelor's student of history at the University of Groningen that I was given the words, frameworks, and theories with which to explain more precisely what I had observed as a child in Southeast Asia.
It was that connection to Southeast Asia, and my Dutch heritage too, which led to me wanting to explore that connection further. My undergraduate thesis, entitled "Creating a modernity in the Dutch East Indies," analyzed Market Fairs held throughout the Dutch East Indies between 1900 and 1940; it was at places like these that colonial officials, businessmen, and the wealthy colonial elite would stage their own vision for the future of the Dutch colony. Showcasing the newest technology and the latest scientific breakthroughs.
My research interests lie in the late colonial period in Southeast Asia. In particular, in the late colonial era of the Dutch East Indies and how narratives of development and modernization have been created in that part of the world, shaped by interaction between both the colonial power and native population and by interaction with other colonial powers. Understanding these narratives can help us better understand modern-day narratives surrounding assumed modernizing forces.
