Wigbertson Julian Isenia

Wigbertson Julian Isenia
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Born	1986 (age 37–38) Curaçao
Nationality	Dutch
Alma mater	University of Amsterdam University of Utrecht
Occupation	Professor

Biography

Born in 1986 on the island of Curaçao, Wigbertson Julian Isenia (he/him/they/them), who identifies as non-binary, moved to the Netherlands when they were 19 years old in 2005. They hold an MA in Arts and Culture from the University of Amsterdam (in 2015) along with two bachelor's degrees in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences from the University of Utrecht and Theatre Studies from the University of Amsterdam (both in 2013). They earned their Ph.D. in Cultural Studies also from the University of Amsterdam (in 2022).

Academic work

Isenia is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam, focusing on topics of gender and sexuality. Their work primarily explores the relationships between cultural practices, such as archival collections, literature, theatre, and cultural performance, and broader societal phenomena such as queer rights, tourism, neocolonialism, and historical legacies. They are the co-founder, together with Naomie Pieter, of Black Queer & Trans Resistance NL and Black Queer Archives

Their book, "The Question of Dutch Politics as a Matter of Theatre: Theatre and Performance after the 2008 Financial Crisis" with Tectum Verlag in 2017 offers a unique lens into the socio-political landscape of the Netherlands. Drawing inspiration from Colin Crouch's idea of 'post-democracy' — a state where democratic principles are eroding and public discourse is shrinking — the book examines how theatre, performance, art policies, and governmental actions can influence this trend in the Netherlands. The book highlights how theatrical concepts like spectacle, play, and theatre are often used to critique aspects of depoliticisation in a post-democratic context (Citation needed).

Through an analysis of three performances — 'Wijksafari Utrecht' by Adelheid Roosen, a political protest by Quinsy Gario, and 'Labyrinth' by the refugee group 'We are Here Cooperative' — the book suggests that theatre could play a vital role in addressing depoliticisation. Based on the theories of Samuel Weber, the book explores a theatre paradox: while theatre concepts are used to criticize politics and governance, theatre itself could be an empowering tool to challenge and change the existing order (Citation needed).

Additionally, their articles and chapters have touched on critical issues such as queer of color intellectual labor, archival practices, and postcolonial intellectuals. They have published in Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies (Journal for Gender Studies), Feminist Review, Routledge Companion to Sexuality and Colonialism (edited by Chelsea Schields and Dagmar Herzog), Postcolonial Intellectuals in Europe: Critics, Artists Movements, and their Publics (edited by Sanra Ponzanesi and Adriano Habed and published by Rowman & Littlefield International), Theaterkrant, and forthcoming in Oxford University Press's book Colonialisms, Colonialities and Queer Politics: Rethinking Sexualities and Genders (edited by Sonia Corrêa, Gustavo Gomes da Costa Santos, and Matthew Waites) and an article in Small Axe.

One of Isenia's most prominent works is his dissertation titled "Queer Sovereignties: Cultural Practices of Sexual Citizenship in the Dutch Caribbean". This academic exploration delves into the reimagination of sexual citizenship by same-sex desiring and trans* subjects in the Dutch Caribbean, particularly focusing on Curaçao. In this work, Isenia introduces the theoretical concept of 'queer sovereignties', referring to the positions these subjects stake out as they reimagine their path to collective autonomy within the postcolonial context of the non-independent Dutch Caribbean.

Isenia's influence extends beyond written scholarship, having co-curated three exhibitions related to his research topics, such as "Nos tei" (Papiamentu for we are here or we exist) at IHLIA LGBT Heritage in 2019, "House of Hiv: the stories behind 40 years of community initiatives" in 2022​​​. His work has been recognized, including an honorable mention for the Gregory Sprague Prize for his article "Looking for kambrada: Sexuality and social anxieties in the Dutch colonial archive, 1882-1923". He has also contributed to the academic community as an educator, teaching courses in the Anthropology department and the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences program at the University of Amsterdam.

Notable Publications

1. "Archiving queer of colour politics in the Netherlands", authored with G. Colpani and N. Pieter. The article focuses on feminist and queer of color politics in the Netherlands from the 1980s to the present, such as Strange Fruit, SUHO and Sister Outsider with discussions on political organizing, cultural work, and the potential and limitations of archiving queer of color histories in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. [Published June 1, 2019].

2. "Looking for kambrada: Sexuality and social anxieties in the Dutch colonial archive, 1882–1923". This article explores the term kambrada in Papiamentu within the context of Curaçao, looking into the colonial archives to reveal insights into colonial domination, social anxieties, and patriarchy. [Published in 2019].

3. "How to Read Dr Betty Paërl’s Whip: Intersectional Visions of Trans/Gender, Sex Worker and Decolonial Activism in the Archive", co-authored with Eliza Steinbock. The article uses the historical figure of Dr Betty Paërl to explore a history of being ‘in the shadow of the whip’, using an intersectional model to examine the shifting patterns of power and the liberatory politics underlying her activism. [Published in 2022].

Prizes

• Isenia, J. (2020). Honorable mention for The Gregory Sprague Prize.

The Gregory Sprague Prize is an award given in recognition of exceptional work in the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, and/or queer history. This accolade can be bestowed upon either published or unpublished pieces of scholarly writing, such as articles, book chapters, or dissertation chapters. The prerequisite for consideration is that the work must be completed in English by a student pursuing graduate studies.

• Isenia, J. (2018). University of Amsterdam 385 years grant.

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) granted twelve 'Lustrumbeurs', also known as 385-year grants, to doctoral students during its second application round. Initiated in celebration of UvA's 385th anniversary, these grants enhance the international mobility of Ph.D. candidates, enabling them to participate in activities like conferences, summer schools, or research residencies abroad.

Wigbertson Julian Isenia utilized his grant to undertake a fellowship at the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at New York University (NYU). His work also included archival research at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. He further contributed to the academic community by presenting a paper at the 'Our (Queer) Caribbean' conference at the University of London (UCL), an event marking the tenth anniversary of Thomas Glave's book 'Our Caribbean'.

• Isenia, J. (2018). Arts/Science: Academy Honours Programme for Young Artists and Scientists.
• Isenia, J. (2018). ​Decade Innovation Award​.

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