VAN LEUR, Jacob Cornelis (1908–1942)

Jacob Cornelis van Leur could be regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in Southeast Asian studies. Trained as an historian, his Indo-centric viewpoint has gained tremendous currency following his early demise during the Pacific War (1941–1945). His advocacy of an indigenous-oriented view of history became especially appropriate and in synchrony with the nationalist ideal during the postwar period when the decolonization process was in earnest in Southeast Asia. His thesis has remained relevant in contemporary times through to the twenty-first century in historiographical works of the region that generally kept steadfastly to van Leur’s criticisms of history writing undertaken “from the deck of the [European] ship, the ramparts of the[ir] fortress, the high gallery of the[ir] trading house” (van Leur 1955: 95).