Scan barcode
A review by nenaveenstra
White Innocence: Paradoxes of Colonialism and Race by Gloria Wekker
3.0
I feel like most of the reviews of this book start with 'this is an important book' and I agree. Or, to put it more nuanced, I agree that it's important that there are books written about the Netherlands' colonial past and the way it is ignored by its population. The paradox that Gloria Wekker speaks of is very real and ought to be highlighted.
I feel, however, that this book doesn't do a great job at it. This is because of multiple reasons. First of all, Wekker takes way too much time to introduce every subject, and she does this in a very dry, academic manner. Like I've seen in other reviews on this website, sometimes the introduction is twice as long as the point she's trying to make. Take the chapter on 'Hottentot nimphae' in which Wekker describes a case study on a couple of women who use this racialised term to refer to their own, white, body and are later diagnosed with a gendered disease instead of it. I skimmed over this part because I just didn't understand why it mattered.
Secondly, Wekker makes some claims in this book that I, as a Dutch person, have trouble with. Sometimes these are claims related to white entitlement and the way we perceive black people/other minorities and I'm willing to believe that the reason why I'm having trouble with these things is because I'm white, ignorant, entitled and whatnot. But sometimes, these are claims about the LGBTQ+ community, or assumptions about behaviour that is 'typically' female or male. I know that this is not the point of the book, but seeing as Gloria Wekker is a feminist herself, I would've assumed that she didn't think in such patterns.
Lastly, I'd like to say that the reason why I didn't love this book so much might be because it just wasn't written for me. This book seems to be written for a non-Dutch audience that would like to learn about The Netherlands, which, sure, that's an audience too, but that means that I came across a lot of information that I already knew. Especially the chapter on Zwarte Piet - which clearly is a racist caricature, I'm not going to argue about that - was plain boring to me. Also the explanation on how muslims are viewed in this country and other things along those lines were no new information. But that's on me. Maybe, as a Dutch person, I shouldn't have read this book, or maybe the Dutch translation would've been better suited.
This book is very important, though. Wekker gives an interesting summary of the existing racism in the Netherlands and makes a good point in saying that we shouldn't ignore our colonial past. She could have made that point in a lot less words though, and in a more accessible manner.
I feel, however, that this book doesn't do a great job at it. This is because of multiple reasons. First of all, Wekker takes way too much time to introduce every subject, and she does this in a very dry, academic manner. Like I've seen in other reviews on this website, sometimes the introduction is twice as long as the point she's trying to make. Take the chapter on 'Hottentot nimphae' in which Wekker describes a case study on a couple of women who use this racialised term to refer to their own, white, body and are later diagnosed with a gendered disease instead of it. I skimmed over this part because I just didn't understand why it mattered.
Secondly, Wekker makes some claims in this book that I, as a Dutch person, have trouble with. Sometimes these are claims related to white entitlement and the way we perceive black people/other minorities and I'm willing to believe that the reason why I'm having trouble with these things is because I'm white, ignorant, entitled and whatnot. But sometimes, these are claims about the LGBTQ+ community, or assumptions about behaviour that is 'typically' female or male. I know that this is not the point of the book, but seeing as Gloria Wekker is a feminist herself, I would've assumed that she didn't think in such patterns.
Lastly, I'd like to say that the reason why I didn't love this book so much might be because it just wasn't written for me. This book seems to be written for a non-Dutch audience that would like to learn about The Netherlands, which, sure, that's an audience too, but that means that I came across a lot of information that I already knew. Especially the chapter on Zwarte Piet - which clearly is a racist caricature, I'm not going to argue about that - was plain boring to me. Also the explanation on how muslims are viewed in this country and other things along those lines were no new information. But that's on me. Maybe, as a Dutch person, I shouldn't have read this book, or maybe the Dutch translation would've been better suited.
This book is very important, though. Wekker gives an interesting summary of the existing racism in the Netherlands and makes a good point in saying that we shouldn't ignore our colonial past. She could have made that point in a lot less words though, and in a more accessible manner.