Jaïr van Dijk

Jaïr Salomon van Dijk is currently completing his Master's degree in History at the University of Amsterdam. During his bachelor's studies, he specialized in the Jewish Sephardic history of the nineteenth century in the Netherlands and the colonies, with a particular focus on Curaçao. His research approach is strongly oriented towards primary archival research, where he conducts in-depth analyses of historical sources to gain new insights.

In his Master's research, he focuses on the regulation and control of homosexual welfare applicants by the Amsterdam social services between 1930 and 1945. This research addresses broader themes of social exclusion, marginalization, and government control over sexuality and identity. His study explores how these institutions operated, how they were populated, and the long-term effects they had on the lives of their residents.

Within the research group, he particularly concentrates on historical research related to the former Colonies of Benevolence, such as Veenhuizen, Willemsoord, and Frederiksoord. These experiments in social reform and discipline present fascinating case studies in the history of poverty policy, forced labor, and social exclusion. With his experience in archival research, historical analysis, and social history, he hopes to make a valuable contribution to the broader issues investigated within the research group.