International Seminar on Decolonization alumnus Christopher J. Lee delivered two major presentations on a decolonization-related topic this past month. At noon on Thursday, October 25, he discussed “The Indian Ocean as a ‘Zone of Peace’: Decolonization and the Politics of the Cold War between Africa and Asia” at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, Room LJ-119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building. On Monday, October 29, also at noon, he presented a workshop, “The Indian Ocean as a ‘Zone of Peace,’ 1955-1979,” at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is currently a research fellow at the Institute for Historical Studies. Both events were free and open to the public. Professor Lee can be contacted though e-mail at cmeador@austin.utexas.edu.
Category Archives: Workshops
Workshop Held on ‘Opportunities and Needs’ in Environmental History
The National History Center and the Rachel Carson Center of the Ludwig-Maxmilians University in Munich held an invitation-only, day and half-long workshop on the “Opportunities and Needs in International Environmental History” on June 11-12, 2010.
The group of international participants represented several universities across the globe: Australia, England, India, and the United States. They discussed how historians fit into the conversation about the environment with scientists and the public, including how history can be used to understand the current debates and to better inform policy makers about the environment. Participants agreed that historians may not have the answers for the changes occurring to and within the environment, but can help formulate the questions that the public needs to ask.
A critical aspect of environmental history is the need to expand its focus to understudied eras, such as anything before the 1880s, and into other geographical areas outside of the Europe or the U.S., such as in the Middle East or Russia. A move away from the traditional areas of urban studies, such as New York or the cities in the American west, is also needed. Instead, research should focus on studying the development of other international cities, for example Cairo or Dehli. Collaboration with other disciplines, such as geography and archeology, can only benefit environmental history.
In terms of looking towards the future, many participants felt a better relationship with the scientists, industrial groups, and the public at large is crucial. Historians are experts and need to engage these communities as such as the field of environmental history moves forward.
Held at the Library of Congress, the workshop was also co-sponsored by the Center of the American West and the John W. Kluge Center of the Library of Congress. This is the first day-long workshop to be held by the National History Center that focuses on the needs and opportunities of a particular field of historical inquiry. The Center hopes to continue to hold international workshops of this kind.
The participants included David Blackbourn (Harvard University), Peter Coates (University of Bristol), Kimberly Coulter (Rachel Carson Center), John Gillis (Rutgers University), Patricia Nelson Limerick (University of Colorado, Center of the American West), Christof Mauch (Rachel Carson Center), John McNeill (Georgetown University), Martin Melosi (University of Houston), Steven Pyne (Arizona State University), Mahesh Rangarajan (University of Delhi), Harriet Ritvo (M.I.T.), Libby Robin (Australian National University, Canberra), Frank Uekoetter (Rachel Carson Center), Richard Walker (University of California, Berkeley), Douglas Weiner (University of Arizona), Richard White (Stanford University), and Frank Zelko (University of Vermont).
