Lecture Series 50 Years of Surinamese Independence - Dr. Debby Esmeé de Vlugt

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Lecture Series: ‘50 Years of Surinamese Independence: Histories, Legacies and Heritages’

On 25 November 1975, the former Dutch colony of Suriname became an independent republic. Following a long history of anticolonial resistance but only a short period of formal negotiations, it was the last state in South America to gain its sovereignty to date. This year marks the 50th anniversary of this historical event.

In this lecture series, Utrecht University scholars, students, and guests come together to reflect on the histories, legacies, and heritages of Surinamese independence. In these meetings, various speakers from within the university – including Dr. Jaswina Elahi and Dr. Debby Esmeé de Vlugt – and outside of it – including Dr. Cheryl White (Anton de Kom University of Suriname) and Jonathan Tjien Fooh (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) – offer unique insights into the colonial, anticolonial, postcolonial and decolonial processes that have shaped Surinamese history and our understandings of it.

From September 2025 to January 2026, four lectures take place in which these questions are considered from an interdisciplinary perspective. Topics include the history of anticolonial thought, the decolonization of Surinamese knowledge and research, and postcolonial identities. Anyone is welcome to attend these lectures.

This lecture series is organized by Dr. Debby Esmeé de Vlugt and funded by the Van Oostrom grant from the Friends of Utrecht Humanities Fund.

Overview lectures:

24 September 2025 – Lecture: ‘Decolonising Epistemologies. Reinterpreting Traditional Knowledge in Suriname’ – Dr. Cheryl White (Anton de Kom University of Suriname)
24 November 2025 – Roundtable: ‘50 jaar Surinaamse onafhankelijkheid: Antikoloniale denkers in beeld’ – Dr. Debby Esmeé de Vlugt (Utrecht University) in conversation with authors Phaedra Haringsma, Ellen de Vries, and Roy Khemradj
3 December 2025 – Lecture: ‘Experiences Heritage Research: Challenging the Eurocentric Lens in the Postcolonial Era' – Dr. Jaswina Elahi (Utrecht University)
15 January 2026 – Lecture: ‘“Leave the Past in the Past'': Navigating the Coloniality of Silence in Narratives of Javanese Indentured Labour’ – Jonathan Tjien Fooh (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)