Labnet: Conf. Ann: Elements - Continents. Approaches to Determinants of Environmental History and their Reifications - Goettingen 11/07

[labnet at lists.labourhistory.net]

[Cross-posted, with thanks, from H-Soz-u-Kult. AB]

From:    Christine Dahlke <cdahlke at gwdg.de>

German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
DFG Research Training Group "Interdisciplinary Environmental History",
Göttingen
14.11.2007-15.11.2007, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Historische Anthropologie und Humanökologie, Bürgerstr. 50, D-37073 Göttingen

Deadline: 19.10.2007

"Elements - Continents" Approaches to Determinants of Environmental History and their Reifications

Two main fields have determined the relations between man and nature in the course of history. The first main realm refers to those elementary qualities which have been relevant since the beginning of history because of their material quality and, at least since the presocratic age, because of their metaphysical quality. The classical "four elements" (fire, water, air and soil) have determined the European self-conception of man and his embedding in nature. We have found "biodiversity" as a fifth element and added it to the four classical ones. The introduction of biodiversity corresponds to a philosophical understanding according to which "life" cannot only be seen as a mere additional quality of material components.

The qualities attributed to the elements have reified in history and gained realistic values for the actors in history. Their actual or supposed qualities did not only form the basis of normative statements, in fact they turned into scientific programs, into
diagnostic-therapeutic concepts. At least three of these elements, as environmental media (water, air, soil), which in part determined the human approach to nature very directly, have turned into practical scientific concepts, into public tasks. The central role of these elements is underestimated in the discourse of environmental history and
unjustly, is, not discussed sufficiently. For example, an environmental history of "air" is missing completely, the one for "soil" exists in parts, the subject "water" is in a  better position. From the point of view of environmental history, "fire" has not broadly been dealt with. Hence the workshop in Göttingen also deals with desiderata of research
areas.

The second main realm refers to the material setting of large human living areas, symbolized by the term "continent". The natural components fauna, flora, microorganisms, and qualities of soil determine opportunities and limits of anthropogenic land use. 
Therefore the perception of qualities and social constructions around the "four elements" will be added by a discussion about geographic conditions on the habitable continents (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia/Oceania, the Americas) due to the anthropogenic utilisation of the elements. Starting from the theory of geographic determinism, cultural strategies to overcome natural restrictions will be discussed
from an environmental history point of view.

As a result of interactions of natural conditions and free human action, the workshop focuses on structural problems. Collective and individual experience and their contextualisation with human concepts of nature ultimately determine the individual's tacit knowledge and the collective subtexts that drive normative and practical behaviour with respect towards nature.

The workshop is embedded in the scientific programme of the DFG Research Training Group "Interdisciplinary Environmental History" at Göttingen University. The workshop, held in cooperation with the Leopoldina, also refers to "environmental history" also as a background of the cultural task of "preservation of nature".

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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Arrival

14:00 Opening
Gunnar Berg (Halle/Saale)
The Secretary for Natural Sciences of the Leopoldina

The President of the Georg August University Göttingen

Bernd Herrmann (Göttingen)
Spokesperson DFG Research Training Group
Introduction

"Elements"

14:30 Johannes Goldammer (Freiburg)
Fire

15:00 Petra J. E. M. van Dam (Amsterdam)
Water

15:30 Coffee break

16:00 Wolfgang Lucht (Potsdam)
Air

16:30 Hans-Rudolf Bork (Kiel)
Soil

17:00 Coffee break and poster presentation by
The DFG Research Training Group

18:00 Public Evening Lecture

Max Tilzer (Konstanz)
Das Fünfte Element: Vom Ursprung und der Entfaltung des Lebens auf der
Erde

19:30 Meeting of Speakers and Representatives
(Closed session, by special invitation only)


Thursday, November 15, 2007

"Continents"

9:00 Rolf Peter Sieferle (St. Gallen)
Europe

9:30 William Beinart (Oxford)
Africa

10:00 Mark Elvin (London, Canberra)
Asia

10:30 Coffee break

11:00 Thomas Bargatzky (Bayreuth)
Australia, Oceania

11:30 John McNeill (Washington)
The Americas

12:00 Final Discussion

Concluding remarks

12:45 Farewell-Snack

Departure

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Mrs. Boufaden

Historische Anthropologie und Humanökologie
Bürgerstr. 50, 37073 Göttingen
Phone: +49-(0)551-393642
Fax: +49-(0)551-393645
anthro at gwdg.de

Homepage <http://www.anthro.uni-goettingen.de/gk/>

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