De Andere Nederlanders – The Other Dutch is a compelling bilingual exhibition and publication that tells the often-overlooked story of the Indo-European (Indische) community: the descendants of Dutch colonisers and local Indonesians in the former Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. These “Other Dutch” developed a unique hybrid identity, blending European Read more…
By Di Gabb and Roberta Julian This chapter traces two distinct yet ideologically aligned waves of Dutch migration to Australia—one preceding World War I and another following World War II. Both were driven not by typical economic motives or adventure but by deeply held ideological or religious beliefs, making these Read more…
Dutch and Australian Government Perspectives on Migration By Joed Elich Introduction: Migration and the Double Perspective Joed Elich’s research takes a rare and crucial “double perspective” approach to Dutch-Australian post-WWII migration, examining not only the policies and motivations of each government but also the lived experiences of Dutch migrants and Read more…
Drawing on the Works of Desmond Cahill and Michael Clyne Introduction and Overview Post-war Dutch migration to Australia has long been perceived as an understated success story — a community that quietly integrated, worked hard, and caused few social ripples. Yet beneath this stereotype lies a more nuanced and layered Read more…
Author: Michael Clyne Introduction: In this seminal article, sociolinguist Michael Clyne investigates the unique trajectory of Dutch language use and decline in Australia, comparing it with other community languages such as Italian, Greek, German, and Vietnamese. His central question: Is the Dutch linguistic experience in Australia an anomaly, or does Read more…
Summary Desmond Cahill’s extensive analysis explores whether Dutch Australians have assimilated into mainstream Australian society or adapted through a more complex, accommodationist process. Drawing on historical, cultural, and statistical perspectives, Cahill challenges the longstanding stereotype of the Dutch as “the perfect migrants” who effortlessly assimilated and vanished into Australian life. Read more…
Jan Lingard’s Refugees and Rebels delves into the largely overlooked history of over 5,000 Indonesians—comprising military personnel, merchant sailors, civilians, and political prisoners—who found themselves in Australia during World War II. These individuals were evacuated from the Japanese-occupied Netherlands East Indies and were dispersed across various Australian cities and towns. Read more…
By Gary Bouma Introduction and Summary: Dutch Religious Influences in Australia’s Multicultural LandscapeBased on Gary D. Bouma’s “The Religious Contribution of Dutch Migrants to Multicultural Australia” Dutch post-war migration to Australia is often told in terms of economic resilience, cultural adaptation, or family stories of hardship and hope. But less Read more…
By Wim Blauw. Introduction and Summary: Understanding Dutch Emigration to Australia After WWII Why did tens of thousands of Dutch citizens leave their homeland after World War II, and why did so many choose Australia as their destination? Wim Blauw’s comprehensive study provides the most thorough sociological explanation to date. Read more…
By Peter Reynders For some time, I have argued that the proper English translation of the first European geographic name given to part of Australia is “Cape Return,” not “Cape Turn Again” or any of the other variants that have appeared in various publications. I believe this name was first Read more…