Reading Colonial Cities: Urban History of the Dutch East Indies - Surabaya

Reading Colonial Cities: Urban History of the Dutch East Indies

Àpd 13 $ /h

Colonial cities in Indonesia were shaped by political, economic, and cultural imperatives of empire. This course combines rigorous historical analysis with in-situ field learning, inviting international learners to experience colonial urban history through direct observation of city form, heritage architecture, and spatial organization.

Rather than abstract narratives or rote memorization, our approach treats cities as living texts. Students study how colonial authorities designed urban space for trade, governance, and control, and how these spatial logics endure in the modern city.

The class offers a hybrid blend of classroom discussion, archival interpretation, and guided urban walks in historically significant sites such as old town districts, port precincts, colonial administrative centers, and transportation infrastructure. Participants will explore heritage buildings, street patterns, canals, and rail alignments—observing how power was inscribed into the urban fabric.

Learning resources include historical maps, planning documents, photographs, and Dutch-language sources, combined with structured field observations to enhance analytical skills. Field sessions are designed not only to illustrate concepts discussed in class but to immerse students in the material realities of colonial urbanism.

By engaging with both documentary archives and urban environments, students will gain a deeper appreciation of how colonial spatial strategies were implemented and how their legacies shape contemporary Indonesian cities. This course is ideal for students, researchers, heritage professionals, and culturally curious travelers interested in urban history, architecture, and colonial studies.

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