Gert Oostindie

Gert Jan Oostindie (born 4 July 1955) is a Dutch historian and professor who specialises in Dutch colonial history and the Dutch Caribbean. He was Director of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) from 2000 until 2021. From 1993 until 2006, he was professor Anthropology at the University of Utrecht. From 2006 until 2015, he was professor Caribbean History at Leiden University.

Gert Oostindie
Oostindie (2022)
Born
Gert Jan Oostindie

(1955-07-04) 4 July 1955
Ridderkerk, Netherlands
Occupation(s)historian, professor

Biography

Oostindie was born on 4 July 1955 in Ridderkerk, Netherlands. His surname is a variant of Oosteinde or "east end", as in Oosteinde, Groningen.[1]

He studied history and social sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and graduated in 1982. In 1989, he obtained a doctorate at Utrecht University[2] for his thesis about the plantations Roosenburg and Mon Bijou in Suriname.[3]

In 1983, Oostindie started working for the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV). In 2000, he became Director of the institute.[2] The institute was hit hard by subsidy cuts in 2013, and was forced to merge with the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences who intended to move the institute from Leiden to Amsterdam. Oostindie managed to keep the institute in Leiden, but had to dismiss half the staff.[4] In December 2021, he retired as Director and was awarded officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau.[5][6]

Oostindie was appointed professor Anthropology with a specialisation on the Caribbean at the University of Utrecht on 1993 and served until 2006.[7][8] From 2006 until 2015, he was professor Caribbean History at Leiden University.[9]

Oostindie is a prolific writer on the history of the Dutch Caribbean and Suriname[7] who specialises in the colonial history and slavery past of the Netherlands.[5] He tried to increase the understanding of the Dutch Caribbean which was often overshadowed by the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) and Suriname.[10] As of 2015, he was the author of more than 25 books and more than 150 scientific articles.[7] Oostindie frequently appears in the mass media as an expert on colonial history and slavery.[11][12]

References
  1. den Blijker, Jeroen (11 August 2023). "'Wie Raymond Westerling op het schild hijst, verdoezelt oorlogsmisdaden'". Trouw. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  2. "Surinamistiekprijs 2010 voor Gert Oostindie". Werkgroep Caraibische Letteren (in Dutch). 6 November 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  3. "Beurscrisis luidde verval van Surinaamse plantages". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 6 January 1990. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. "KITLV blijft toch in Leiden". Mare Online (in Dutch). 24 October 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  5. "Prof. Gert Oostindie koninklijk onderscheiden bij afscheid". Dossier Koninkrijksrelaties (in Dutch). 20 December 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  6. Roitman, Jessica Vance; Veenendaal, Wouter (2023). "Politically correct consensus is not for me: An interview with Gert Oostindie". Itinerario. doi:10.1017/S0165115322000316. hdl:1871.1/349d00e1-649f-491b-9c18-c00af9182fc4. ISSN 0165-1153.
  7. Roosanne Goudbeek (9 February 2012). "Zwarte stem zelden in archieven aanwezig". Zeeuws Archief (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  8. Jos de Roo (18 January 1994). "Gebieden met moederland zijn er beter aan toe". Amigoe (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  9. "Oostindie, Prof. dr. Gert". KITLV (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  10. Guido van Hengel (August 2006). "Caribische geschiedenis in de lift". Historisch Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  11. "Gert Oostindie". TV Blik (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  12. "Gert Oostindie". University of Leiden. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
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