Legacies of colonialism and slavery
Colonialism and slavery are pervasive historical phenomena which have left deep imprints on today’s world. Colonial empires have risen and collapsed throughout world history, but have never attained the massive, global scale that they did since 1500. Slavery is an equally ancient institution and practice that has known manifold forms and social relations.
While Europeans invented neither, their involvement in both slavery and colonialism has left distinct marks and lasting legacies that inform the afterlives of both. How do the legacies of colonialism and slavery continue to influence our current societies? What is the role of decolonization movements, past and present, in coming to terms with the variegated effects of colonialism?
We examine how colonialism and slavery, sometimes as intertwined phenomena, have contributed to the rise of globalization, capitalism, inequality, migration, environmental change, unfree labour systems and racialised hierarchies. We also study how colonialism and slavery have been resisted, past and present. As part of that, we research the history of political and economic decolonization and also engage with present-day decolonial scholarship, for example questioning the role of our own university in the Dutch colonial past.
Research themes
Legacies of colonialism and slavery
We examine how colonialism and slavery have contributed to the rise of globalisation, capitalism, inequality, migration, environmental change, unfree labour systems and racialised hierarchies.
Environmental and food crises throughout history
We investigate the historical roots of current environmental crises and analyse the structural factors and actors that hinder moving to more sustainable long-run patterns of economic development.
Roots of health and educational inequalities
Our research combines the long-term analysis of slow-moving societal factors and individual-level elements, comparing countries or regions in different stages of development.
Economic inequality and migration
We seek to understand why some countries have joined the ranks of wealthy nations while others have not (yet) in the context of migration.