Shifting the Compass: Pluricontinental Connections in Dutch Colonial and Postcolonial Literature

Jeroen Dewulf is Queen Beatrix Professor in Dutch Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. In his research, he focuses primarily on Dutch Studies, German Studies and Postcolonial Studies. He publishes in five different languages (English, Dutch, German, Portuguese and French). His most recent book publication is Spirit of Resistance: Dutch Clandestine Literature during the Nazi Occupation (2010). He was distinguished, in 2010, by the Hellman Family Faculty Fund as one of the "Best of Berkeley Researchers" and in 2012 he won the Robert O. Collins Award in African Studies and the American Cultures Innovation in Teaching Award. Michiel van Kempen is a Professor by Special Appointment in West-Indian literature at the University of Amsterdam. He wrote an extensive history of Surinamese literature Een geschiedenis van de Surinaamse literatuur (2003) and is editor of numerous anthologies on Surinamese and Dutch-Antillean literature: Nieuwe Surinaamse verhalen (1986), Spiegel van de Surinaamse poezie (1995), Mama Sranan: twee eeuwen Surinaamse verhaalkunst (1999) and (with Wim Rutgers) Noordoostpassanten: 400 jaar Nederlandse verhaalkunst over Suriname, de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba (2005). He was co-editor of two collections of essays: Tussenfiguren in de literatuur (1998) and Wandelaar onder de palmen. Verkenningen in de koloniale en postkoloniale literatuur en cultuur (2004). He was awarded the 2004 Dutch-Belgian ANV-Visser Neerlandiaprijs and was knighted twice. Olf Praamstra is Associate Professor by Special Appointment in Dutch Literature in Contact with Other Cultures and head of Department of Dutch Studies at Leiden University. His research focuses on the reception and development of Dutch literature in contact with other cultures. His publications include Een feministe in de tropen, de Indische jaren van Mina Kruseman (2003), Busken Huet, een biografie 2007), (with Eep Francken) Heerengracht, Zuid-Afrika (2008), (with Peter van Zonneveld) Omstreden paradijs, ooggetuigen van Nederlands-Indie (2010).