Amsterdam, November 2024 – While EURIDICE’s Digital Society focus is widely being addressed in courses, seminars, lectures and workshops, the focus on Global Citizenship has to date remained implicit. This book, published in 2024, makes a contribution, as a reflective reading resource for students, to discussions on Global Citizenship, one of the three key elements of EURIDICE’s societal focus.
The decolonial novel Witte Mensen by Dutch-Brazilian author Leeuw van Moerkerken, in the tradition of Humanism, taps into ongoing debates on (neo-)colonialism in contemporary developments in 21st century in Africa. It has now been translated in Portuguese.
This novel (first published by Pangea Amsterdam in 2024) follows the story of Lynx, a nineteen-year-old who reflects on the events leading up to his captivity by terrorists in Mali. The narrative offers a glimpse into the lives of expatriates in a war-torn African country, where privilege and excess often overshadow the harsh realities surrounding them. Themes of trauma, truth, and the lingering consequences of colonial arrogance are central to this psychological novel, which invites readers to confront complex moral questions.
The new Portuguese translation marks the novel’s first step to a broader international readership, with its recent editions poised to reach a wide audience in Europe, Africa and beyond. White People offers an introspective and thought-provoking exploration of personal and societal challenges that may resonate with readers seeking stories that push conventional boundaries.
Leeuw van Moerkerken (Amsterdam, 1999) gained attention with his debut novel Kapotspelen at the age of seventeen. With a background in psychology and interdisciplinary social sciences, he later pursued a career in filmmaking, working on projects in Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Malaysia. His creative endeavors extend to music videos, including the satirical track 45k (Studieschuld) and the award-winning psychedelic video Habitat.
Witte Mensen is currently available in Dutch and Portuguese. English and French language editions are expected in 2025.