The interwar period was a turbulent one in the history of Belgian Congo. While the colonial power tried to consolidate its grip, the Congolese people expressed their frustrations through powerful, prophetic movements. These movements represented not only a spiritual response, but also a socio-political challenge that the Belgian administration tried hard to suppress.
In this lecture, Margot Luyckfasseel (University of Antwerp) and Benoît Henriet (VUB) take you to this tipping point in Congolese history. They show how Congolese were far from passive under colonial rule, and how their resistance took shape at the local level.
👤 About the speakers
🔹 Benoît Henriet is senior lecturer in history at the Free University of Brussels. He researches the colonial history of Central Africa, with a particular focus on environmental history and the local dynamics of capitalism.
🔹 Margot Luyckfasseel is Junior Research Professor of Modern African History at the University of Antwerp. She specialises in Congolese history ‘from below’, focusing on urban-rural relations, language ideology and the debate around ‘authenticity’.
📅 Tuesdag, 6 May 2025
🕖 Start lecture: 18u45 (Doors open from 18u30)
📍 Room R004, Rodestraat 14, 2000 Antwerpen
🎟️ Free entrance – registration requierd
🍹🥪 Free reception with snacks afterwards
Don't miss this unique look at a forgotten chapter of colonial history.
👉 Register now and secure your seat: https://forms.gle/r61vqKJKBHyYbvdu5