Call for Papers: Global circulation of species and biological innovation, 16th-20th centuries

RHN 17/2015 | Call

Convenors: Josep Pujol-Andreu, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona; Amélia Polónia, U. Porto; Jorge M. Pacheco, U. Minho

Conference: Old and New Worlds: The Global Challengues of Rural History, 27-30 January 2016, Lisbon, Portugal

Deadline: 15 April 2015

 

Plenary Session:
Global circulation of species and biological innovation, 16th-20th centuries:
landscapes, production and consumption

This panel proposes for debate the impact of the global circulation of species between Europe and other Continents, in the long run: from 1500 to 2000. From 1500 onwards, European colonisation contributed to structural changes while connecting different continents and oceans. This process led to global ecological flows among continents, across oceans with a direct impact upon rural environments in Africa, Asia, America, but also in Europe, creating challenges related with biological transfers and invasions responsible for syncretic patterns, now subject of analysis in the framework of Evolutionary Ecology, which takes into consideration, in a dynamic relation, the Nature and Culture of all agents involved.

Furthermore, it is well known how biological innovations, associated with new technologies were more noticed in the economic set-up of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. At present, bio-innovations are a strategic factor in the functioning of the agricultural sector in its relations with industry and worldwide trade. Research has been concerned, however, more with changes in fertilization techniques and water management, and less with the innovations associated with the biological varieties of seeds, plants and animals that have been used, both in Europe and in colonial territories. In fact, this avenue of research has advanced remarkably in the United States, but much less in Europe and Latin America. With this session the convenors aim at repositioning these topics at the center of a renewed agrarian history’ research agenda.

Based on these assumptions, the panel seeks to debate, in a multidisciplinary and long-term framework, the impact of such dynamics, calling for case studies and analytical essays covering a wide range of topics involved by rural history of Old and New Worlds, and by studies covering a geographical area intended to include Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.

This session is presented on the scope of the research group Population, Food and Standard of Living (J. Pujol-Andreu, HAR2013-47182-C2-1-P).

Papers submission and evaluation

  • Abstracts of 300 words should be sent in English, Portuguese or Spanish and no later than 15 April 2015. Please include affiliation and contact details, as well as a short biographical note of max 200 words.
  • All submissions will be reviewed and applicants will be contacted before 15 May 2015. For Registration and further information: https://lisbon2016rh.wordpress.com/
  • Full papers, with 30.000 characters long maximum have to be delivered until October 30, in order to previously circulate.
  • Please send papers to: josep.pujol.andreu@uab.es; amelia.polonia@gmail.com; jorgem.pacheco@gmail.com