Widowhood and female agency in the Dutch-colonial Indian Ocean World. Rethinking social networks through local women’s lives (1750–1800)

This research reveals how widows in Dutch-colonial port cities, particularly Galle (Sri Lanka) and Melaka (Malaysia), exercised agency within patriarchal and racially hierarchical colonial societies. By analyzing testamentary decisions and social networks, the study demonstrates that these women actively participated in informal credit systems and maintained familial relationships, contributing to urban cohesion despite socioeconomic differences. The findings challenge traditional narratives of VOC societies as isolated enclaves dominated by European settler families and male authority, instead highlighting the significance of intimate relationships in sustaining colonial economies and connecting households across continents.

van Schooten, P., Bulten, L., & Lyna, D. (2026). Widowhood and female agency in the Dutch-colonial Indian Ocean World. Rethinking social networks through local women’s lives (1750–1800). The History of the Family, 31(2), 620–636. https://doi.org/10.1080/1081602x.2026.2659330