Visible, Invisible: A Portrait of the Intersection Between Whiteness and Moroccanness in the Netherlands

Abstract

This article explores the influence of appearance on experiences of race and racism in the Netherlands. It is based on one semi-structured, in-depth interview with a 20 year-old performing arts student who, despite his outward appearance of being white, has Moroccan heritage. The intersection between whiteness and Moroccan identity in the case of the interviewee is considered in terms of the Dutch national image, racial passing and Dutch visual culture. The results of the in-depth interview provide insight into the exclusivity of the categories of white and Moroccan in the image of Dutch identity, as well as the claims to a post-race Netherlands.