Ceylon and the Dutch, 1600-1800 External Influences and Internal Change in Early Modern Sri Lanka |
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| Author:
| Arasaratnam, Sinnappah |
| Series title: | Collected Studies Ser. |
| ISBN: | 978-0-86078-579-8 |
| Publication Date: | Mar 1996 |
| Publisher: | Ashgate Publishing, Limited
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| Imprint: | Variorum Publishing |
| Book Format: | Hardback |
| List Price: | USD $160.00 |
Book Description:
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This collection of essays, the second by Professor Arasaratnam, represents over three decades of scholarship on the impact of the Dutch on the society and economy of Ceylon, and is introduced by a new essay reflecting on the historiography of the period. Basing himself on unpublished material held in the archives of the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, the author explores a number of related themes: the place of the island in international commerce; the political and administrative processes...
More DescriptionThis collection of essays, the second by Professor Arasaratnam, represents over three decades of scholarship on the impact of the Dutch on the society and economy of Ceylon, and is introduced by a new essay reflecting on the historiography of the period. Basing himself on unpublished material held in the archives of the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, the author explores a number of related themes: the place of the island in international commerce; the political and administrative processes by means of which the Dutch established themselves; the impact of Christian missionary activity; and the indigenous reaction to and accommodation with Dutch power. Dutch colonial rule over some 150 years was responsible for initiating many changes in traditional institutions, and an understanding of these changes is important in explaining an ongoing process of modernization in Sri Lankan society. At the same time, the studies together present a valuable case study of the interaction between a colonial power and the indigenous people.