Fadly Rahman is a PhD candidate at the Institute for History. His research examines the role of local networks within the global botanical research network of Plantentuin Buitenzorg during the colonial and early postcolonial periods.

More information about Fadly Rahman

Fadly Rahman is a PhD candidate at the Institute for History. His research examines the role of local networks within the global botanical research network of Plantentuin Buitenzorg during the colonial and early postcolonial periods.

Research

My PhD research is an integral part of Fenneke Sysling's Vidi project, Epistemic Actors: The Role of Indonesians in the Making of Knowledge in the Colonial Era. I will examine the importance of local networks and their roles in contributing to the global botanical research network of Plantentuin Buitenzorg, from the colonial era through to the early post-colonial period. In the historiography of science, the local networks are often hidden, sidelined, or ignored in favor of the prevailing influence of Western botanists. How do these local networks operate within the realm of botanical research? What kinds of epistemic interactions do local actors engage in the scientific activities? Who are the local figures who endeavor to carve out their own identities as Indonesian botanists, emerging from the dominance of Western botanists? This interdisciplinary research heuristically examines colonial and vernacular botanical sources, expedition reports, and visual archives of botanical drawings and photographs.

Fields of interest

- Global history
- Microhistory
- Environmental history
- History of natural science
- Food history

Curriculum vitae

I am a historian with a deep passion for interdisciplinary studies, which has shaped my experience and skill to examine the connections among the environment, science, and food, initially sparking my interest in food history. My academic research on food history, encompassing rijsttafel, Indonesian food from a global historical perspective, and the early history of Indonesian food overseas, has solidified my standing as a food historian.

In addition to my role as a lecturer in the Department of History and Philology at Padjadjaran University, Indonesia, I am also involved as a public historian, actively writing opinion and popular articles for the mass media.

Drawing from my years of experience in food history, my reflections often intersect with various themes, one of which pertains to the intriguing domain of plants. I am particularly interested in the production of botanical and agricultural knowledge across different eras, from pre-colonial to post-colonial. My research on the historical significance of food crops, such as spices, coffee, tea, cassava, chili peppers, soybeans, and vegetables, frequently highlights the contributions of local actors in botany and agriculture. This experience has become a valuable asset for me in Fenneke Sysling’s Epistemic Actors project, where I will connect the role of local networks within the context of micro-history and their overlooked contributions to the global botanical research network of Plantentuin Buitenzorg from the Indonesia’s colonial to the early post-colonial era.