J.R. Doornbos

PhD, October 2018 - current 

The Postcolonial Present: Everyday Geographies of the Indo-European Diaspora

Through capturing the everyday geographies of four generations of Indo-Europeans in the Netherlands, this research explores how colonial family histories shape their everyday lives and how these histories are transmitted from one generation to the next. This research takes a biographical research approach, using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, to gain insight into the ways personal experiences on the micro level are intertwined with colonial histories on the macro level. It connects empirical data of mundane experiences, identities and well-being to colonial family histories, to provide a critical understanding of colonial legacies on current places, practices and social relations. By studying these legacies, this research aims to contribute to the critical understanding and the opening up of larger debates regarding postcolonialism in Dutch contexts.

Supervisors: dr. Bettina van Hoven and dr. Peter Groote