Visions of Dutch Empire - Introduction

Do we need a long-term intellectual history of the Dutch empire? And if so, what should it be about? With these questions in mind, René Koekkoek, Anne-Isabelle Richard, and Arthur Weststeijn, organised the conference ‘Visions of Empire in Dutch History’, at Leiden University, 29 and 30 September 2016. In the present postcolonial Netherlands, critical reflection on colonial heritage is gaining momentum and new questions are being raised about the impact of colonial mentalities on Dutch national culture. But how to define and research these mentalities? Emphasising the merely pragmatic and merca... Mehr ...