Short before the\nindependence of Suriname in 1975 there was an influx of Surinamese inhabitants\nmoving to the Netherlands. This caused a whirlwind of commotion in the\npolitical sphere as the government tried to prevent \u2018ghettos\u2019 (Jansen, 2006, p.\n30), prevent tension with the \u2018autochtonous\u2019 Dutch community (Biervliet et al,\n1975, p. 337), propositions were made to change the constitution to send\n\u2018non-economically profitable\u2019 migrants back to Suriname, municipalities were\nreluctant to provide housing (Buddingh, 1995) and migrants were barred from\ncertain neighborhoods in Amsterdam (Overleggroep Pensions, 1978). Eventually,\nfrom squatting movements (Heilbron, 2017), the Bijlmer grew to be culturally\ndiverse, with the African diaspora holding the highest share (Gemeente\nAmsterdam, 2018). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The newer street\nnames in the Bijlmer are comprised of names of persons that have become\nprominent figures for the black community and were established by the mayor in\nconjunction with eight aldermen (\u2018College van burgermeester en wethouders\u2019) to\nwhich a commission for naming public space is an advisory body (\u2018Commissie\nnaamgeving openbare ruimten\u2019) (Gemeente Amsterdam, n.d.). To exemplify, as\nmentioned in \u2018besluitenlijst 19970221\u2019, some names included are Isabella\nRichaards, Efua Sutherland and Nilda Pinto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This\nrepresentation in the form of street names is very important, as representation\nsignificantly influences people\u2019s view of the world (Boboltz & Yam, 2017).\nThis especially, as underrepresentation can be found in the Eurocentric general\nDutch school curriculum (Agirdag & Merry, 2016), as well as in the Dutch\nmedia (Takken, 2017). This underrepresentation brings about negative\npsychological consequences, due to effects such as \u2018symbolic annihilation\u2019 (Gerbner\n& Gross, 1976, p. 182) and the hindering of the effect of \u2018cultural\nsocialization (Hughes et al, 2006). From this, low self-esteem grows, as found\nin a study by University of Michigan (Martins & Harrison, 2012).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To add as to why\nthese stories are important for the representation of the current Afro-Dutch\ncommunity, we can find the answer in the political philosophical branch of communitarianism,\nfor which Michael Sandel stated that \u201ccultural membership forms identity\u201d\n(Pierik, 2016), Christian Joppke stressed that a community has \u201ca shared frame\nof reference\u201d (Pierik, 2016) and Alasdaire MacIntyre finds: \u201cthe self is not\ndetachable from its social and historical roles and statuses for the story of\nmy life is always embedded in the story of those communities from which I\nderive my identity. I am born with a past.\u201d (Sandel, 2009, p. 119).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To conclude, representation matters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tenisha Nahar<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Short before the independence of Suriname in 1975 there was an influx of Surinamese inhabitants moving to the Netherlands. This caused a whirlwind of commotion in the political sphere as the government tried to prevent \u2018ghettos\u2019 (Jansen, 2006, p. 30), prevent tension with the \u2018autochtonous\u2019 Dutch community (Biervliet et al, 1975, p. 337), propositions were … <\/p>\n