Together with ten other Leiden researchers Joseph Sony Jean received funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Jean will use this grant to develop his research ideas in the coming three years. The VENI grants are awarded annually by NWO. Below you can find a description of Jean’s project.

Places to not forget: De-silencing the narratives and heritage of the world’s first black republic, Haiti

The world’s first Black republic, Haiti, is an important empirical site for exploring critical questions about colonization, slavery, and resistance. Because of its successful and historic struggle, it became a beacon for promoting universal freedom and the end of the transatlantic slave trade. However, Haiti’s vibrant history is often overshadowed by popular mainstream narratives about poverty and political and environmental problems. Archival knowledge appears to be the major source of the history and heritage of slavery and post-slavery. This is too limited, because archaeological sites are essential aspects of this story.

Jean’s project investigates archaeological sites and contemporary practices and interactions with heritage in postcolonial societies. Innovatively combining insights from archaeology, ethnography, and heritage studies, Jean uses Haiti (World’s First Black Republic) to illuminate the importance of involving historically marginalized communities to arrive at inclusive narratives of the past and heritage.