Een historiografische verkenning van kolonialisme, koloniale slavernij en universitaire geschiedenis

This article explores the colonial dimension of the history of universities focusing on the Netherlands, but also making international comparisons. It concerns particularly the modern period, as the colonial connection grew during the late nineteenth century. Colonial knowledge was institutionalized by the imperial state and businesses, with universities hosting specialized programs like Indology and tropical studies. These institutions produced knowledge about colonized peoples and developed technologies for exploiting resources. Dutch universities trained students for colonial careers, aimed at more efficient exploitation of colonies. However, the history of universities has largely been written from a national perspective, neglecting the colonial aspects. This article explores three themes: recent studies on slavery and universities, the role of Dutch universities in supporting colonial power, and contemporary debates on decolonizing universities and confronting their colonial legacy. It calls for further research into the colonial roots of universities to better understand historical power structures and current efforts to address racial inequality and engage in the decolonization of universities.