From Objective to Subjective Social Barriers

Paula, A.F., From Objective to Subjective Social Barriers: A historico-philosophical analysis of certain negative attitudes among the negroid population of Curaçao, Foreword by H. Hoetink, Curaçao, 1967.

From the Foreword:

The author's main thesis is reflected in the title of his book: the originally existing objective barriers, which hampered or made the social and economic progress of the negroid population impossible, along with the whites' non-acceptance of these groups on the basis of equality, have been changed into subjective barriers by a process of psychological 'adaptation' on the part of the negroid groups; thus bringing about obstacles in the formation of the personality which - even if the original objective barriers would no longer exist - would hinder a complete and 'normal' development of the groups concerned. The impact of social social subordination for generations, led, in Dr. Paula's view, to serious psychological handicaps.

1966 Jandie Paula graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Social Philosophy. A year later he graduated from Universidad di Santo Tomas di Aquino in Rome with his thesis "From Objective to Subjective Social Barriers. In 1992 he graduated from the University of Utrecht with his dissertation "From Quasi-slave to slave". From 1969 to 1989 Paula was Director of the National Archives of the Netherlands Antilles. He taught sociology, philosophy and human rights at UNA (University of The Netherlands Antilles) in the period 1990-2000. He was also rector of the UNA in the period 1997-2000. He served in the interim cabinet of the Netherlands Antilles as prime minister in 1993-1994. Paula has many publications to his credit, including: the slave uprising on Curacao (1994), Slavery in a Nutshell (1987), and his latest work "The Cry of My Life" (2005).