Insider/Outsider: Black Surinamese Dutch Women in Predominantly White Educational Institutions
By Ashley Melcherts, Ph.D.
Independent Scholar
Published in Freedom: Volume 3
Keywords
Identity Formation, Black Women, Surinamese Diaspora, the Netherlands, Education
Abstract
This qualitative study explores the self-identification of young Black Surinamese Dutch women in the racialized context of Dutch society by specifically looking at how their identities shape their everyday lives in predominantly white educational institutions in the Netherlands. Given the historical and colonial relationship between Suriname and the Netherlands—notably how common it is for white people in the Netherlands failing to acknowledge the existence of racism in Dutch society—Black Surinamese diaspora members must explore the ideas, thoughts, and feelings of Black Surinamese Dutch women as a way to gain a better understanding of how to navigate racial inequalities within the country. Specifically, it is crucial to center the identity formation of young Black Surinamese Dutch women in examining the navigation of racial inequalities, since the lived experiences of young Black women and Black girls are often overlooked in the educational context, and this is the same for the educational system within the Netherlands. In-depth online interviews were conducted with eight young Black Surinamese Dutch women who were residing and/or studying in the two largest and most diverse cities in the Netherlands: Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Findings illustrate the importance of using an intersectional approach in trying to understand the unique insider/outsider position of these young women in navigating predominantly white educational institutions. The decisions they made on a daily basis, whether conscious or subconscious, ensured that they protected themselves while creating spaces to be themselves. But feeling out of place and being perceived as an outsider continued to impact the lives of these women into higher education and beyond.
Digital Object Identifier
DOI: https://DOI.org/10.65373/CQWN4544
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