Date: 9 March 2004, 12:00-14:00
Venue: Room 1, University of Southern Denmark,
Niels Bohrs Vej 9, 6700 Esbjerg
Head of Mariners: Poul Holm,
Programme:
Guestlecture by Dr. Verena Winivarter, Vienna
Soils are among the most intricate ecosystems. They are the basis for human survival, sustaining plant life, on which we ultimately depend. Yet they have not received due attention by environmental historians. To understand the interactions between soils and humans over time, one has, among other things, to investigate the cultural programs (to be found e.g. in agricultural textbooks) which determined understanding and dealing with soils.
Information about soils has been collected, attempts at their classification have been made, tests to determine their quality and measures how to keep them fertile and to prevent erosion have been developed over millennia in processes of empirical knowledge production. In looking at ‘societies' memories' about soils, I will look at knowledge production, re-production, dissemination, but also at forgetting, error, magic and re-invention. At present, no comprehensive work on the history of soil knowledge exists. First results of an ongoing research attempt to work towards such a comprehensive overview will be presented.
Both speakers are from "Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelser", GEUS, Dept. of Quarternary Geology.
For more information: www.mariners.cmrs.dk
Register with: Anne Husum, ph. +45 65 50 41 49 / .
All are welcome!