Rayke van Lent MA

PhD candidate

Area(s) of interest: Dutch History, Modern & Contemporary History, Oral History & Life Writing

Cohort/Start PhD: 2024-2025

Rotterdam maritime families and their heritage: 1960-2000

Overarching project: Mens in de Haven
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Supervisor(s): Paul van de Laar, Els Jacobs, Tina van der Vlies
Duration: September 2024 – September 2028

The perilous nature of dock work created the foundation for a strong feeling of solidarity and community among workers. Dockworkers belonged to a port family which united coworkers and their families within a larger network, in both their work and personal lives. The introduction of the shipping container marked a period of change in the nature of dock work. The container revolution has received much attention from researchers in the fields of logistics, technology and labour, but social and cultural factors, such as the impact of technological change on the daily life of workers, have been neglected.

This project seeks to uncover the everyday realities of the dockworkers and their families in Rotterdam through the use of oral history. I will investigate how the changing nature of dock work affected feelings of solidarity and community, as well as the dynamics and relationships within dockworkers’ families themselves. The particular focus will be on women, their participation in and contributions to the (maritime) community, and their roles as wives, mothers, or daughters.