The PhD candidate in this project will work on their own research project as part of the research team ‘Concrete Colonialism: Architecture and Heritage in Indonesia around Independence’. We use a material lens to examine the built environment and heritage formation before, during, and after the transition to independence in Indonesia. Our team sets out to examine the local and transregional networks of fabrication, production, distribution, use and decay of building materials, with a specific focus on concrete.

The PhD project can take different approaches, including (but not limited to):

• A material lens: examining the manufacturing and distribution of concrete, for example by the Nederlands-Indische Portland Cement Maatschappij. Another focus could be the perception of concrete in relation to colonialism and independence, possibly in relation to other building materials.
• A network analysis: researching the activities of, for example, one or more building companies, such as the Hollandse Beton Maatschappij active in Indonesia. This approach may involve the use of digital mapping technologies, such as GIS.
• A comparative lens: investigating local, regional or transnational exchanges building materials, knowledge of building construction or/and labour through a comparative study.