In the aftermath of World War I, the beaten paths of tourism guided an increasing number of international tourists to the hinterlands of the Arab Eastern Mediterranean, where they would admire... Show moreIn the aftermath of World War I, the beaten paths of tourism guided an increasing number of international tourists to the hinterlands of the Arab Eastern Mediterranean, where they would admire pyramids and Roman ruins. Yet they were not the only visitors: Arab nationalists gathered in summer resorts, and Yishuvi skiing clubs practised on Lebanese mountain slopes. By catering to these travellers, local tour guides and advocates of tourism development pursued their agendas. Show less
The Egyptian Empire conquered and colonized Nubia, what is today northern Sudan, on multiple occasions. The colonization strategy employed was highly variable through time, ranging from the... Show moreThe Egyptian Empire conquered and colonized Nubia, what is today northern Sudan, on multiple occasions. The colonization strategy employed was highly variable through time, ranging from the construction of militarized fortresses (Middle Kingdom 2050–1650 BCE) to an amicable co-existence approach (New Kingdom 1550–1050 BCE). Egyptian tactics also varied spatially, depending on several factors including a colonized community's utility to the empire and the potential for revolt. Using a large dataset (n = 341), this paper compares osteoarthritis between seven Nubian communities to (1) evaluate whether imperial strategy impacted osteoarthritis severity and (2) assess whether rates of osteoarthritis differed between colonized communities.Age-controlled analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) suggests there was significant variation in the frequency and severity of osteoarthritis throughout the empire. The Middle Kingdom C-Group, an indigenous Nubian population that lived outside the Egyptian-built and -occupied fortresses, displayed the highest rates of osteoarthritis for nearly all joint systems. Osteoarthritis then decreased during the postcolonial Second Intermediate Period (1650–1550 BCE) and again increased during the recolonization of the New Kingdom. However, there is significant variation of osteoarthritis at three New Kingdom sites, each of which experienced a differing colonization approach. This study suggests that the varying imperial strategies utilized by the Egyptian Empire may have impacted the physical activities and daily lives of Nubians and that these tactics were not equal throughout Nubia but were tailored to communities. It is therefore difficult to discuss a singular outcome of colonization; rather, these interpretations need to be nuanced with community-level archaeological context. Show less
Taxation was at the core of colonial exercises of governance, state-building and state-society relations. This dissertation analyses taxation in colonial Indonesia between 1870 and 1940. In an era... Show moreTaxation was at the core of colonial exercises of governance, state-building and state-society relations. This dissertation analyses taxation in colonial Indonesia between 1870 and 1940. In an era of continuous expansion and reform, colonial statesmen envisioned a full-fledged tax state of equivalent and just forms of tax-payment in accordance with fair laws, a transparent administration and benevolent governance. They saw taxation as an important tool in the project of constructing a modern empire, ‘disciplining and improving’ its subjects and unifying and reforming the state. However, despite intricate law-making processes, shrewd strategies of data accumulation and registration, and a sophisticated bureaucratic machinery, the colonial state in Indonesia had limited success in realising its ambitions. On the ground, taxation was controlled by local elites and driven by processes of negotiation, mediation and subversion of the state apparatus. Rather than imposing a Western model of taxation on the colony, the resulting system became an amalgam of Dutch and local interests, while the state itself became increasingly mixed with the local structures and practices it was supposed to change and replace. Instead of a force of extraction and reform, taxation provided an arena for contesting the colonial state.Based on extensive archival research and traversing the Indonesian archipelago from Aceh to the Moluccas, this dissertation unveils the diverse administrative realities of colonial Indonesia as created by colonial officials, intermediaries and subjects. By focusing on taxation, it demonstrates how colonial governance was experienced as hybrid and malleable, thereby contributing to broader academic debates about colonial statecraft, fiscal policy and the consequences of colonial rule. Show less
The introduction asks where the Dutch empire fits in the intellectual history of empire. It explains the need to examine the trope of Dutch exceptionalism over the long term in transnational and... Show moreThe introduction asks where the Dutch empire fits in the intellectual history of empire. It explains the need to examine the trope of Dutch exceptionalism over the long term in transnational and transimperial perspectives. Methodologically it argues for including meaningful practices as sources and to look beyond systemic thinkers and examine how ‘intermediate thinkers of empire’ from across the globe articulated their visions in practice. Drawing on the concepts of upward and downward hermeneutics, this entails examining the interactions between ideas and practice; how ideas formed and were formed by socio-cultural and political practice. Such a history of visions of empire sheds new light on historiography and public debate, precisely because dominant notions within these are rooted in the intellectual history of Dutch imperial practice. Show less
One of the tasks of the Royal Netherlands Navy in Tydeman's lifetime was the hydrographic survey of the seas at home and in the colonial waters. The hydrographic expertise of naval officers could... Show moreOne of the tasks of the Royal Netherlands Navy in Tydeman's lifetime was the hydrographic survey of the seas at home and in the colonial waters. The hydrographic expertise of naval officers could also be applied to other endeavours like scientific expeditions.In the second half of the nineteenth century private scientific societies took the initiative to engage in maritime research. Contact between scientists and the Navy resulted in naval assintance in scientific research. The Navy took part in polar expeditions and in scientific explorations in the tropics. As a junior officer Gustaaf Tydeman was involved in hydrographic surveij in the East Indies and in Dutch coastal waters. Tydeman was commanding officer of H. Neth. MS Siboga during the oceanographic expedition in the East Indian Archipelago in 1899-1900. He continued his years in the Navy as commanding officer of the Royal Naval College, of large ships and of a squadron of ships in teh East Indies. He was promoted to flagofficer in his command of the Naval establishment in Amsterdam. His achievements as hydrographer and commanding officer of a ship on a scientific expedition and author of several publications made his naval career exceptional. Show less
