On 23 April 2025, we organised the symposium Colonial Past & Global Health, which focused on the impact of the Dutch colonial past in contemporary healthcare, education and knowledge production. With 50 attendees, we brought together researchers, historians and healthcare professionals for a day of reflection, exchange and critical dialogue.
The symposium marked the start of a new UMC Utrecht research project on the role of the Utrecht medical faculty in the colonial past and its implications for current medical practice and global health. At the same time, the meeting provided space to share insights from similar research at other knowledge institutions and to discuss broader social questions, such as the significance of restorative justice.
Led by chairman of the day em. prof. dr Frank Huisman (UMC Utrecht/Descartes Centrum), the programme opened with a keynote by dr Esther Captain (KITLV Leiden) on the relationship between state and slavery. Subsequently, em. Prof Leen Dorsman (Utrecht University) on academic responsibility and institutional self-reflection.
In the course of the day, various case studies and research projects were discussed. Dr Larissa Schulte Nordholt (Wageningen University) shared insights from research at Wageningen University, Dr Henk van Rinsum (Utrecht University) discussed the production of colonial knowledge, and Dr Fenneke Sysling (Leiden University) highlighted Utrecht University's anatomical collection in historical perspective. Dr Gani Jaelani (UMC Utrecht) concluded the substantive programme with a presentation of the research plans and initial findings of the Utrecht project.
In addition, Prof Bambang Purwanto and Dr Widia Fitria Ningsih (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) and Dr Maurits Hassankhan and Dr Sahiensha Ramdas (Paramaribo, Suriname) made online contributions, making perspectives from former colonies an explicit part of the conversation as well.
The day concluded with a joint reflection on next steps and a desire to further strengthen the network of researchers and professionals working on the historical and contemporary dimensions of global health. The symposium showed that the conversation on colonial legacies in health is not only historical in nature, but also directly touches upon current questions of power, knowledge and justice.
Want to know more about this (recurring) symposium and reference books? Then take a look at our dedicated page on this topic.
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