This dissertation examines the administrative, political and social developments in the twentieth century that challenged the traditional system of Chinese community leadership in Batavia. To... Show moreThis dissertation examines the administrative, political and social developments in the twentieth century that challenged the traditional system of Chinese community leadership in Batavia. To offer full scope for the analysis of these developments, which had far-reaching implications for the elite status of the Chinese Council and its officers, this dissertation is divided into seven chapters. The first chapter gives an historical overview of Chinese migration to Southeast Asia, the Chinese in Batavia, and the start of the officer system. Chapter two serves as a detailed introduction to the inner-workings of the Chinese Council. Chapter three deals with the intensification of Dutch colonial rule in the Netherlands Indies and its effect on the Chinese community and the Chinese Council. Chapter four looks back on Chinese nationalism and analyses how new ideas about community leadership began to threaten the position of the Chinese Council and its officers in the Chinese community. Chapter five analyses the response of the colonial government to the social changes within the Chinese community and also in colonial society in general. Chapter six evaluates the surprising Chinese response to the plans of the colonial government to abolish the institution of Chinese officers. Finally, chapter seven deals with the final years of the Chinese Council of Batavia and shows how the Chinese officers resumed their tasks after a period of great confusion and uncertainty. Show less
This dissertation is primarily based on the administrative documents of “the Kong Koan te Batavia” (吧城公馆, the Chinese Council of Batavia) and presents new insights into various aspects of the 19th... Show moreThis dissertation is primarily based on the administrative documents of “the Kong Koan te Batavia” (吧城公馆, the Chinese Council of Batavia) and presents new insights into various aspects of the 19th century Chinese society of this city. It focuses on the Kong Koan as an informal, collaborative semi-governmental organ during the chairmanship of Tan Eng Goan, the first Majoor der Chinezen of Batavia, between 1843 and 1865. The crucial purpose of the research is to fill the existing gap within the historiography of the Chinese community in Batavia. Show less
This is a study of the colonial ‘civilizing process’ in Dutch Formosa (Present-day Taiwan) between 1624 and 1662. Drawing inspiration from Norbert Elias, this study stresses on ‘the colonial ... Show moreThis is a study of the colonial ‘civilizing process’ in Dutch Formosa (Present-day Taiwan) between 1624 and 1662. Drawing inspiration from Norbert Elias, this study stresses on ‘the colonial “civilizing process” ’ which is applied to the inexorable process of retreat from the era of ‘Aboriginal Taiwan’ under different schemes of ‘civilization’ brought by Western and Occidental colonizers since Taiwan’s early modern history. Contrary to the Dutch East India Company’s intention of carrying out a ‘colonial mission’, local Formosan inhabitants underwent their first profound colonial ‘civilizing process’. According to this study, this process moved in accordance with Dutch understanding of civilization embedded in the grid of State, capitalism, and Christianity. The focus of this thesis is to look at the Formosan agency in perception, participation, and practice in the Dutch-Formosan colonial encounters within the context of Chinese encroachment. The thesis introduces the scope and scene, documents the Dutch island-wide expansion in Formosa, analyses the phases of political empowerment, economic exploitation, and Christian missionary in Dutch Formosa, and re-asserts the changing image of Dutch rule for the Formosans which was revealed in the nineteenth century. Show less
