Event
DocuScience: ‘Land van onderdanen’, about colonial oppression in Indonesia
The history of the WUR is closely tied to Dutch colonialism, especially in the former Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. But how much does the average WUR student or employee actually know about this history? And how should we relate to it? Historian Hans Goedkoop also asks this last question during his trip through Indonesia. In this documentary, Goedkoop examines colonial oppression in the country of his grandfather, who served in the Dutch East Indies as a soldier for the colonial army.
The documentary questions how colonialism was expressed in practice, including resistance to Dutch oppression. This history is also relevant to WUR as the anti-colonial intellectuals Goedkoop discusses also had a connection to the then agricultural university. Moreover, the alumni of the agricultural university, for the most part, around 65%, were working in the colony in all sorts of different roles. They worked on plantations, with the government and in tropical research stations. The introduction for this documentary will elaborate on these and other connections between the documentary, colonial history and the history of the WUR.
Over Land van onderdanen
'Indonesië roept! Land van onderdanen' is part of an eight-part series by NPO in collaboration with the programme ‘Andere Tijden’, from 2023. In the series, Hans Goedkoop examines the late colonial history of the Dutch East Indies through the story of his grandfather, one of the leading figures on the Dutch side in the later Indonesian war of independence. In the period he examines, between 1900 and 1950, Dutch power slowly crumbled before finally disappearing completely in 1949. Anti-colonial resistance to the Netherlands grows and eventually ends in a bloody and drawn-out war. This is one of the most controversial wars waged by the Netherlands. This war is viewed very differently in the Netherlands and Indonesia. Whereas until recently the Netherlands still talked about ‘police actions’ and paid little attention to the atrocities on the Dutch side, most Indonesians see the war as their ‘Revolusi’ - the liberation from Dutch colonial oppressors. In the end, they emerged victorious. At the same time, there is a lot of dissatisfaction among some groups in Indonesia about the way the Netherlands held sway in the country. To this day, this past remains part of heated discussions in the Dutch public debate. This documentary series, and specifically the episode shown during DocuScience, takes a closer look at the colonial oppression and colonial relations that eventually led to this war of independence.
The documentary will be introduced by Larissa Schulte Nordholt. She is a historian specialized in colonial and postcolonial history and working as a postdoctoral researcher at WUR, where she is working on a book about the university's colonial past on behalf of the Executive Board. During the DocuScience, she will highlight how this larger colonial history relates to the history of WUR.
Good to know:
The documentary and main language is Dutch.
Details
De documentary will be shown in Omnia and admission is free of charge. The program will begin at 17:30, with the room opening at 17:00. you can register via the Forms. After the program, you are welcome to talk while enjoying the DocuDinner.
Dinner in restaurant Novum afterwards?
Exclusively for DocuScience, restaurant Novum in Omnia offers a DocuDinner. For €18,50, you will be served a delicious main course and a drink. The DocuDinner starts after DocuScience has ended at 19:00. Reservation is required and can be done through the Forms. Already filled in the Forms, without making a reservation yet? Make a reservation via mail. Please mention DocuScience in the e-mail.
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About DocuScience
DocuScience is a program in Omnia, where employees of Wageningen Campus share insights into the inspiring work happening at Campus. We will explore new perspectives through provocative documentaries that encourage conversation. Everyone working at Wageningen Campus is welcome, so bring your colleagues!
Filmposter
Read more:
- Indonesia roept! - Andere Tijden (Dutch)