This dissertation focuses on the actors and agencies in the transnational Buddhist networks that were involved in the making of Buddhism in Indonesia from 1900 to 1959. Using the framework of... Show moreThis dissertation focuses on the actors and agencies in the transnational Buddhist networks that were involved in the making of Buddhism in Indonesia from 1900 to 1959. Using the framework of transnational networks, this dissertation endeavours to understand how Buddhism gradually secured a place in Indonesian society. By viewing the late-colonial and early post-colonial period as a continuum in which Buddhism continued to take root, it connects developments that have thus far been treated as separated by the demarcation line of Indonesian independence.Furthermore it argues that modern Buddhism in the Indonesian archipelago developed as a result of global and regional religious transformations. Particularly important was the spread of Theravada Buddhism in South and Southeast Asia. Especially, the dissertation investigates the dominant roles of lay people, Buddhist missionaries and intellectuals who were living in and travelling to colonial Indonesia. The Peranakan Chinese were the primary local actors in this process because of their pivotal role in the making of modern Buddhism from the beginning of the period under consideration until the post- independence years. The Peranakan Chinese community can be seen as a “place” where people from various backgrounds articulated their ideas about Buddhism and interacted with others. Show less
The Dutch Atlanticist Ernst van der Beugel (1918-2004) was a prominent figure in Cold War transatlantic relations for over four decades. As a modern kind of ‘renaissance man’, he was active in... Show moreThe Dutch Atlanticist Ernst van der Beugel (1918-2004) was a prominent figure in Cold War transatlantic relations for over four decades. As a modern kind of ‘renaissance man’, he was active in government, politics, the worlds of business and finance as well as academia. After a career with the Dutch government on the frontlines of the Marshall Plan, European integration and transatlantic politics, he switched to a more freestyle approach to diplomacy as a private citizen, most notably through his longtime leadership of the illustrious Bilderberg Meetings and his ties to the European and American foreign policy establishments. While his kaleidoscopic career offers a unique window upon the unofficial dimension of Cold War transatlantic relations, traditional state-centered approaches to diplomatic history have so far prevented a full assessment of his many roles in both formal and informal diplomatic networks. By looking at Ernst van der Beugel through the lens of New Diplomatic History, which emphasizes the role of diplomatic actors and the unofficial dimensions of diplomacy, this dissertation provides an alternative perspective on Cold War transatlantic relations by analyzing Ernst van der Beugel’s diplomatic role through formal and informal channels, both as a government representative and as an unofficial diplomat. Show less
