16th Annual Graduate Conference in European History (GRACEH) (Web)

Time: 11.-13.04.2021
Venue: University of Oxford
Proposals by: 15.12.2021

What is nature, and does it have a history? According to British philosopher Kate Soper, ‘the natural is both distinguished from the human and the cultural, but [is] also the concept through which we pose questions about the more or less natural or articial quality of our own behaviour and cultural formations; about the existence and quality of human nature; and about the respective roles of nature and culture in the formation of individuals and their social milieu’. In what ways, then, can nature be historicized?
The organizers invite graduate students working on any topic or period in European history and/or Europe in the world to consider the place of ‘nature’ in their research. The organizers define nature in the broadest possible sense, including its material, social, political, and cultural dimensions.
This conference is open to all graduate students. The organizers particularly encourage submissions from those who have not presented their work at conferences before or are from underrepresented regions and/or institutions. The organizers hope to be able to support travel and/or accommodation for a limited number of presenters without access to institutional funding. Topics may include but are not limited to:

• The relationship between nature and humans: How has nature shaped the existence of humans over the centuries? How have humans exploited nature, and to what extent have natural forces been a hindrance or impetus for change? What is the relationship between nature and power? Topics could include: ecosystems and human economy, post-human and more-than-human approaches to history, natural and supernatural forces and creatures, animal history
• Environmental history: How has the environment shaped human societies throughout history and vice-versa? How have humans responded to environmental crises? What is the present and future of environmental history? Topics could include: climate changes, environmentalism and environmental social movements, concepts of the anthropocene, history of ecology. Read more … (Web)