Joandi Hartendorp
2021

My PhD focuses on what has been canonised through history education about Dutch slavery and Holocaust history in the Netherlands and the reasons for this specific canonisation. I compare these two histories because, based on preliminary interviews, it became clear that perpetration is nuanced and externalised, and victims and descendants of victims are ‘othered’ through stereotypical and racist language in both history education practices. 

I use the multi-directional memory (Rothberg, 2009) approach and the concept of social imaginaries (Taylor, 2004; Alma, 2015) to give depth to the analysis of Dutch slavery and Holocaust education and to demonstrate the dialogical and selective nature of both memory cultures. Furthermore, through my research I aim to create awareness with history teachers about the nuance, externalisation and ‘othering’ that underlie their teaching practices to inspire them to apply more inclusive methods.

Joandi Hartendorp was born in Haiti and brought up in the Netherlands. She is currently completing her PhD thesis at the University of Humanistic studies in which she combines her interests in Dutch perpetrator history and inclusive education.