Changing Connectivity in a World of Small Islands: The Role of Makassar (Sulawesi) as a Hub Under Dutch Hegemony

Abstract

Makassar in southern Sulawesi has been one of the central hubs of the Malay Archipelago since the fifteenth century, first of all in respect to interregional trade, but also for political and religious reasons. This port city consistently created connections with global markets. Events like Islamization, the Dutch conquest, or the beginning of modern colonization reduced its role, but they also provided occasions for new relationships and expansions. Makassar proved capable of transferring several of its functions to other islands and of integrating its hubbing into the surrounding world of small islands. The chapter provides an overview of this long-term development and offers some further insights into regional case studies.