Karwan Fatah-Black is expert in Dutch Colonial History. The early modern Atlantic world is the context for his study of the transformational effects of globalization on society. Karwan is often seen in the (Dutch) media to explain news on Dutch Colonial History.

More information about Karwan Fatah-Black

Research 

Karwan Fatah-Black is interested in how power is exercised, legitimized and challenged. He studies the history of slavery and emancipation in the Atlantic world, and is interested in the afterlives of this history. His investigations cover the world of trade and smuggling in the early modern Maritime Atlantic empires; the slave strategies for self-emancipation; the transformations in the ideas about slavery and emancipation; and the transformation of imperial subjects into citizens. 

Teaching 

His courses are close to his research practice. With first year bachelor students he looks at different slave revolts and reflects on how these have been studied by historians. In the second year het teaches about the Dutch slave trade in international perspective and co-teaches a biannual course on Caribbean History. The third year research courses and MA courses are focused either on the slave ship as an institution, or on manumission, emancipation and citizenship. 

Projects 

Current research projects are Het Huis van Thorbecke in de Koloniën (The house of Thorbecke in the colonies) on the development of citizenship in the Dutch empire. The project is funded by the Fonds Staatsman Thorbecke of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Science (KNAW). 

Outreach 

Karwan Fatah-Black participates in the societal conversations about the legacy of the colonial past. He advises heritage institutions, ministries and cultural professionals on how to build bridges between society and academic scholarship.  

Grants, honors, fellowships 

Karwan Fatah-Black was awarded the 2016 Heineken Young Scientist Award of the KNAW. That year he started an NWO-Veni project to investigate urban emancipation strategies. Since then, he has received various research grants. In 2019 he was a fellow at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname. He is a member of the Young Academy of the KNAW from 2020 until 2025.  

Publications

Activities