This workshop focuses on both the symbolic and practical uses that European nation-states have made of the environment and of natural resources since the Second Industrial Revolution. The workshop’s geographical framework should be interpreted in the widest possible sense, including countries and regions that have been under the colonial rule of European states during the period of reference.
The general aim of the workshop is thus to obtain a good overview of the role of the modern nation-state and of nationalist discourse in the structuring, management and showcasing of nature/society interactions. The main issues at stake are:
- resource use and management
- nature conservation
- the role of states in front of natural disasters and calamities
- rhetorical and symbolic uses of the natural world
- state vs. communities in the management, knowledge, and vision of nature
- war and appropriation of nature
The organizers want to gather a variety of scholars, not only specialists in environmental history, but also political, cultural and social historians, historical geographers and historical anthropologists with an interest in nationalism, nature perception and/or symbolic politics.
During the selection process both comparative analyses at the transnational level and specific case studies able to give new insights in the mechanism of state management of natural resources and symbolic uses of the natural world will be equally considered.
The workshop is limited to 9 participants. The working language will be English.
Each participant will prepare a draft text that will be pre-circulated to workshop attendees in mid-July 2010. At the workshop, each paper will be briefly presented by the author and then fully discussed by the group in a 40 minutes session. After the workshop, participants will be asked to revise their papers for possible inclusion in an edited volume to be submitted to an international academic press or as a journal special issue.
Moreover, the organizers are planning to set up a permanent research network on nature and nation in modern Europe and discuss the funding opportunities. Those who are interested are invited thus to join a common discussion about future research projects.
Workshop attendees will be granted free accommodation and meals. Moreover, aiming at including a range of scholars at various stages of professional development, the organizers wish to encourage advanced Ph.D. students, junior scholars and independent researchers to attend the workshop. All participants will thus have the possibility to obtain a grant covering at least part of their travel costs. If you have other funding possibilities for travel, please let us know as to be able to increase accordingly the grants for low-income scholars.
To be considered as a workshop participant, please send an abstract of up to 300 words and a brief CV (1-3 pages) to info@natureandnation.eu by 30 April 2010. In the accompanying email please specify whether you need a travel grant and if you are interested in the group discussion on day 3.
